Lost In Fiction
by Vaughntronic
Summary: Leiara might be in a coma, she might not be. Either way, she is in Camelot. She knows what is 'supposed' to happen, but that is not always the case, and she quickly learns she has to roll with the changes as they come. If she is going to be here, she wants to fit in. (Rated M - Torture, Whump, Language.)
1. From Austin With Love

**AN: I do not own, nor am I affiliated with Merlin in any way.**

Riley stood at the bus stop only a half-mile from the gym. Her bag was slung over her shoulder and she stood with her hip jutted out to support the weight of it while she flipped through her phone. She turned off her music and backtracked to her text messages to see one missed message from Kathleen.

She afforded herself a small eye roll already knowing what the message would say. "You coming out tonight? Pleeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaase?"

This was a common occurrence on a Friday afternoon. Riley would work out and Kathleen would text her trying to coax her out for a whole myriad of things that usually included beer, boys, and definitely dancing.

It's not that Riley thought this was a BAD thing. She didn't. She did go _sometimes_, but she did not feel the need to do it every. single. weekend. like her down-town-addicted friend. Sure, Kathleen was alright, but some of the people that gravitated towards her were less than Riley's ideal company.

A bunch of sweaty bodies trying to make a pointless connection on an over-crowded dance floor, and have surface-level conversations screamed over booming speakers.

Clearly Riley had made up her mind. Tonight was not an 'out' night. She thought for a moment before her thumbs deftly clicked out; "nah. netflix+pajamas+wine. have fun, tho." Riley knew that was not the end of the conversation.

A few years ago, Kathleen would have devolved into a mixture of guilting, pleading, and promising epic adventures to lure her out of the house, but she was too smart for that now. She did, however, not tolerate letting Riley off that easily. Consequently, Riley did not bother to put her phone away.

With a beep of notification, Riley's phone lit up again and she looked down at it exasperatedly. "whats merlin have that I don't have?"

Riley snorted and smiled resisting the immediate urge to respond with "substance". Instead she tapped out; "magic... and arthur. :P"

The truth was, Merlin was just the current show of choice. Riley was known to fall for a lot of things fantastical and science-y. A few years ago this could have just as easily been Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Lord of the Rings, Stargate, or Doctor Who. Escapism was kind of Riley's thing.

After a few seconds "nerd" flashed up on her screen. Riley smirked and clicked her phone into standby pulling out her ear buds. _The bus should be here any minute now_, she thought as she reached back to unzip her bag to put the small headphones away.

She saw the bus coming down the street as she fiddled with re-zipping her bag - the zipper was stuck. She tugged at it a few times before getting annoyed and tugging a bit too hard. The zipper split with a rip and at the same moment, her bag broke entirely at the seam. "What the..." she said as she looked quickly at the bus and back at the mess laying at her feet. She bent to start scooping up her belongings in a hurry and in one blink - one infinitesimal moment - her surroundings changed.


	2. Enter Riley

**AN: I do not own, nor am I affiliated with Merlin in any way.**

Riley was kneeling down on a wooden floor. Her hands instinctively reached for her gym clothes, but instead they found a few wooden mugs laying sideways, with an abandoned pewter tray sitting nearby. Her eyes combed the floor slowly, and her hand froze in shock. Moisture spread out from the two mugs, the smell of stale beer and sweat greeting her nose.

Her sense of hearing had for the time being been stunted to allow her other primary senses to deal with this new shock. But, without warning, like the volume had been turned up, sounds of laughter and chatter grew in her ears and she looked up quickly. Two filthy men with scruffy stubble and drunken mirth on their faces looked down at her - their bellies shaking jovially. She looked around frantically, trying to get her bearings, still , somehow, stupidly looking for the bus.

She stood up quickly and tripped on something... Her clothes? She was too completely freaked out to think about that too hard and instead she automatically looked for an escape.

"A'right there lass?" said one of the jovial men sitting at a table with his mate. She ignored him entirely, still looking for an exit like a deer in a hunter's lodge. The man just laughed even harder and looked to his companion; "must be 'er firs day, eh?"

Just as the two men had fallen into a fit of laughter over their own humor, she found the door. She broke for it as a shouted "Oi! Where do you think yer goin'! Clean that mess up, girl!" rang from somewhere behind her

Again, Riley ignored this, either not sure the order was meant for her, or simply too self-involved in her obvious mental disorder. She pushed through the thick wooden door, again losing her footing as she stumbled on her hem which she finally looked down to acknowledged with annoyance. She lifted the beige cloth of the skirt into her hands as she stepped outside into the light. "Bloody hell..." she said... _Wait, bloody what? What did I just say?_

She dropped the cloth and held her hands out in front of her palms down as if trying to balance herself and find her happy place. She closed her eyes, the information coming at her was too much and too fast. She inhaled through her nose a few times before chancing one open eye. _First, figure out where I am..._

Opening one eye did not cause anything too horrible, so she opted to open the second one. She focused in front of her and her eyes were filled with a large wooden cart against a towering white wall. She let her eyes wander over it slowly and discovered that it was filled with large ripe tomatoes, carrots that looked like they had been pulled from the ground that day, and lettuce. Large heads of lettuce sitting propped up in a displayed fashion. There was a wooden roof hanging overhead, and a thin man behind it with blackened teeth and dirty hands picking up tomatoes and cleaning them with a rag that was a _least_ cleaner than his hands, she thought.

Thinking about something as mundane as the man's cleanliness signified that her mind was easing into this whole jarring situation, and leaving her more time to feed her curiosity.

She stepped forward and turned to look further down the... Road? Path? She was not sure what to call it, but it looked suspiciously familiar. It was definitely a market. There were many other carts in both directions, all of which seemed to have some form of "wares" that were being peddled.

Her hands reached down to grasp her garment - obviously her mind had registered that she needed to mind her hem now. She stepped further out into the market lifting the hem of the skirt out of the way as she moved. She allowed her eyes to look more in an upwards fashion now that she had familiarized herself with what was at eye level.

Again her attention was brought to the large white wall that was behind the produce cart. It seemed to go on forever to her right, but ahead to the left she saw a break in the wall, and from what she could tell, beyond it there were more buildings and a stone yard.

She began to get a bit excited and definitely curious. But why was she here? She looked up at the sky for some answer. No, she was not crazy for doing this... Usually the sky was a great indication that she was dreaming. Something was always wrong with the sky in her dreams. She spun where she was, looking up, when she collided with someone. "Sorry" they both muttered in unison as the person continued past, wrapped up in their own business just as she was.

Nope. The sky was fine... Hmm... Did she pass out and get hit by the bus and was now having an epic coma dream? Maybe she found a Stargate and went through it... _Oh my God, I am a nerd_. But hey this was odd. Really odd. She decided her answers would best be discovered through exploration, and she opted for going left towards the stone yard.

Just as she started to move that way, the sound of horns and drums echoed through the tight alley, and almost all who stood nearby turned and started to move towards the stone yard as well. The wooden doors just behind her - the same ones she had come out of upon discovering herself in this strange place - burst open, and some of the more sober clientele swarmed out past her. She had turned her head at the sound and happened to look up at the sign hanging over the door.

'The Rising Sun.'

"Bloody hell..." she whispered, her mouth falling open.


	3. Pilot, Part 1

**AN: I do not own, nor am I affiliated with Merlin in any way.**

**AN :Big thank you to HamburgerLover25 for catching my punctuation mistake. Riley (Leiara) does NOT tell Marckus that she was hit by a bus and teleported there. Those are thoughts she is keeping to herself. She simply tells him she went to the execution.**

Riley blinked. Or she thought she did. She meant to. She was still fixated on the sign as large numbers of men, women, and even children, were brushing past her towards the square. _Right. Bus-induced coma dream. I'm going to go with that._ She felt a bit panicked at this notion... Getting hit by a bus and being flung into a coma was not really good news, despite her surroundings. She closed her eyes tight and opened them again, her momentary fear planting the seed of hope that she would wake up and be just fine - Maybe just snoozing on the ride home.

When she opened her eyes again, she was still standing in front of The Rising Sun, the drums and horns still sounding from behind the wall that encased the square. She looked left and right, before moving on with the crowd. The best thing she could do was just ride it out, and at the very least hope that if she had to be in a coma, she could stay here in what was clearly Camelot.

She rounded the wall behind a group of somber women and gasped audibly at what she saw. The sweeping white Chateau of Castle Camelot loomed above the square, glittering in the high sun. The sounds of quiet mutterings and muted conversations could be heard all around her, but she could not make anything out.

She raked her eyes over the beautiful windows and odd gargoyles, her face spreading into a wide smile, her excitement escalating at the sight. "Brilliant," she whispered.

Before she was fully over her bewilderment, the sound of a commanding voice carried over the gathered crowd and silence fell among them. Her eyes snapped to the source and her mouth gaped open.

"Uther Pendragon" was standing atop the balcony over-looking the yard and addressing his audience. _Giles_, she thought to herself but somehow felt guilty for it. He looked so _real_... So _there_. And definitely so _Uther_.

This was the first time the "people" of this world had occurred to her, and she allowed herself to feel a tinge of anticipation at meeting the rest of these beloved characters. - She was definitely not ready to wake up, she decided.

Her attention returned to Uther and she caught what he was saying...

"...I pride myself as a fair and just King, but for the crime of sorcery, there is but one sentence I can pass."

Riley watched Uther's head nod slowly down at someone below him, and she followed his eyes. There she saw a Camelot guard bearing down on a man, forcing his head upon a raised chopping block that had been erected in the center of the square. _Oh God_, she thought. She was going to watch some poor man get beheaded.

It dimly registered with her that this whole event seemed familiar... Like she had... Wait... She _had_ seen this before... This is the pilot episode of the show... But this time, there was no camera to cut away at the moment the axe took the man's head. She threw her hands over her eyes and braced for the sound, the drums beating out in sync with her dread. The axe dropped and her body jerked at the sound as the crowd around her gasped.

She chanced a glance through her fingers as Uther began speaking again; "When I came to this land, this Kingdom was mired in chaos. But with the people's help, magic was driven from the realm. So, I declared a festival to celebrate 20 years since the Great Dragon was captured, and Camelot freed from the evil of sorcery. Let the celebrations begin!"

At the conclusion of Uther's little speech, Riley shuddered. She really did not like him all that much, and the wonder of seeing him in person & up-close wore off quickly as she waited for the tell-tale cry of the old woman that was supposed to follow his words. The witch was supposed to come forward and threaten Arthur's life now.

Riley stood on her toes looking for her, but never found her, and the cries never came. The threat on Arthur's life was not given, and the crowd started to disperse.

"Hmm" she said audibly though quiet, her eyes still scanning the crowd - now having realized that Merlin may be in it somewhere - if it was anything like the episode she remembered. Curious, though, that the old witch had not appeared. What else would be different?

The crowd had thinned considerably, and she suddenly felt very exposed standing in the square avoiding looking at the raised platform in the center where she was sure there was still a bloody head severed from its equally bloodied corpse.

A sense of deep fear flooded her... What was she supposed to do? Where was she supposed to go? She knew no one. She knew nothing other than what a television show had told her, and apparently that was not even going to stay the same.

She took a tentative step back towards the market place before her foot jerked up in pain - a stone had slipped into her... Shoe? She supposed it was a shoe... It was more of a slipper than anything else. She finally took the time to look down at herself and saw that she wore a long beige frock with a light blue apron over it. It was heavy and layered over an under-dress. Her hands were dirty, though they still looked like her hands.

She reached down to remove her shoe and extract the invading rock, and as she did, she felt a great _swoosh_ as a large curtain of hair bundled loosely in a ribbon tumbled over her shoulder. She stared at it for at least two seconds, before, rock forgotten, she grasped it and stood up. It was her same dark auburn color, but it was thicker, and full sharp waves, and it hung to her hip when she let it fall down her front.

"Oh, this is excellent... This is..." she grinned widely, and must have looked demented to anyone watching her stand around grinning at her hair. "Yes!" Her voice echoed a bit around the square and she blushed slightly glancing around, but hey, this was her coma-dream so she could get excited if she wanted to. She ran her fingers through the soft stands several times before freeing it from the ribbon and pushing it back behind her. At least she got the hair, if she didn't get the status. And apparently she was now British. _Fantastic_!

As her new discovery had worn off, her thoughts drifted again to her biggest concerns... Where to sleep and how to eat. She pulled her shoe off and shook the rock out before hopping a few feet as she put it back on. Best return to the tavern... That is where this whole thing started.

* * *

Riley stole herself, sucked in a deep breath and held it as she pushed through the doors of The Rising Sun. She didn't know why, but she expected everyone to turn and look at her like they did in old western flicks. Probably because she felt like she was out of place, though she entirely looked the part. To her relief, no one paid her any mind as she stepped inside. That is until a large man with a thick neck and round belly came out from behind the wooden bar, his deep brown eyes flashing as he caught sight of her. "You girl!" he said; "but Riley was not paying attention - she was combing the room for anyone familiar though she did not know what she would do when she found them.

"Leiara!" the man said this time, now striding towards her. He was upon her and had waved a fat fingered hand in her face making her jerk backwards and blink several times before giving him her attention.

"W..What?" she said stupidly looking up into the man's face.

He stopped waving his hand in front of her and put it on his hip; "Where have you been?" he asked exasperatedly.

"What did you just call me?" asked Riley, ignoring his question, she scrunched her nose up at him confused.

The man frowned at her clearly not interested in her games. "I called you by your name child, did you hit your head... Again?"

Riley reached up to touch her head with her fingertips. This was actually a valid question, it would explain a lot... As her fingers searched her scalp she said; "But that is not my name."

The man scoffed and took her arm in his beefy hand leading her back towards the large wooden bar, some of the patrons now looking on - some looked amused, others concerned. Perhaps they did not want this girl handling their food and drinks, she seemed to be unstable.

The large man swung around the bar with her in tow and took her into a back room to sit her down on a stool as leaned down and looked into her face. "Now, Leiara, do I need to fetch Gaius? What has gotten into you? Where did you go?"

Now that he was close to her, she could see his eyes were kindly as her regarded her and she relaxed just a bit.

"I went to the execution." she said plainly. What else was she supposed to say? _I was teleported here because bus hit me, and you are all fictional characters that I watch on a magical box at home on my couch using electricity?_ And _why is he calling me Leiara_?

"Marckus, get out here ol' man! We need a round!" an intoxicated voice floated to the back room from the bar.

Marckus sighed and put a hand on Leiara's shoulder... "Go get cleaned up lass." he jerked his head towards the door leading to what must have been the back of the tavern. "Come back to work when you have washed up." And without another word, the man called Marckus left towards the bar leaving "Leiara" sitting there dumbfounded.


	4. Pilot, Part 2

**AN: I do not own, nor am I affiliated with Merlin in any way.**

**AN: I had to make some adjustments to the the length of time between what is happening in this chapter, and how many days until Lady Helen's performance.**

Leiara pushed open the back door and looked out into the sun-lit yard behind the tavern. It was a bright day, the sun was still high, and she squinted as she looked around for what she guessed would be a water barrel or something.

There were several barrels on the small porch and lining the large white wall that formed the perimeter of the yard, but most of them appeared to hold food, liquor, or mead. There was a little dirt path big enough for one person to fit through that ran alongside the tavern and one side of the large wall, and it appeared to lead out to the main market street. Tucked in the far corner was a small shack. The rest of the yard was mostly dirt with sparce patches of grass, a couple of tools and a few piles of broken tables and chairs. Curiosity got the better of her, and when she didn't find anywhere to wash in the yard, she went for the small shack.

She knocked quietly first, hoping some angry drunk was not going to answer. When no one did, she gently loosened the latch and poked just her head around the door. "Hello?" she said in barely a whisper. Again, no one answered and she fully craned her head around the frame.

It was just one room. Small, but tidy. On the right wall was a low, small, bed with a pillow and thick gray blanket. Next to it was a bowl on a rickety and warped wooden box. She focused on it and moved forward. She looked down into the bowl and noticed fresh water with a folded towel sitting underneath it.

She grinned and knelt down next to it dipping her hands in and rubbing them together. The cool water felt good and she leaned over to splash her face, her hair falling forward over her shoulders. She rubbed her face and neck a few times, then tugged the towel from beneath the bowl and dried her features off.

She set the towel back down on the box and stood up, now looking more around the room. There was a small table with a single chair, and a candle sitting beneath one tiny window that looked into the yard.

In the far corner, opposite the bed, was a couple of thick black pots piled up next to a modest cupboard. She pulled open the cupboard and revealed one pewter plate, one wooden mug, and a couple of wooden utensils in a wooden bowl.

Moving on, she noticed a chest on the floor, and bent over to open it. Inside were several garments, all in natural and earth-tone colors. There was one pair of shoes, a shawl, and some undergarments. She felt strange pawing through someone's things, but one lift of cloth revealed a small and modest hand-held mirror and a wooden hair brush at the bottom.

She snatched the mirror up and put it in front of her face, her eyes squeezed shut afraid of what she might see, though she did not know why. She sucked in a deep breath and then opened her eyes to focus on her face. Staring back at her, were her features. Her normal, unchanged features. She inspected her straight nose and big golden-hazel eyes and her thin cheeks. Even her handful of freckles were in their rightful place. She turned her head from left to right looking at her ears and neck, and then titled the mirror some to get a look at her hair. She could not help but smile a bit at that.

She replaced the mirror into the bottom of the chest and closed it up. When she stood, she reached into the pocket in her apron to pull out the ribbon she had removed from her long hair and began to tie her hair back again.

She sighed and headed for the door. _I guess I should get back_. She extended her hand to exit the shack when she saw a note stuck to it with a rusty nail:

"Leiara, I don't know where you got to, but I expect you to get your arse back to work when you get this.

And lock your damn door. How many times do I have to tell ya?

-Marckus"

She pulled the note from the door and looked around again at the small room. All this was _hers_? Man, comas were kind of amazing. Her mind had thought of everything. And with that, she left the shack, forgetting to lock the door and headed back into the tavern.

* * *

When she crossed into the tavern proper, she was instantly handed a large tray with several wooden mugs filled to the brim. "Take this to Stephan and his lot", Marckus barked, "And don't spill it!" Leiara just blinked at him over the tray and then combed over the crowd - man these chaps liked to drink, this place is packed. "Girl!" Marckus snapped again, turning her shoulders and all but pushing her in the direction of a large table with about 8 men.

She shuffled over to them careful not to spill and began serving them one at a time. They were engrossed in their conversation; "'Spect that feast is gonna be pretty fancy up there in the castle, eh?" said one man, picking up his fresh drink and raising it to Leiara in thanks before taking a deep pull.

The other men nodded in agreement, before one spoke up, "yeah, bet Thomas' old Ma ain't none too happy though" he said with a jerk of the head over his shoulder. Leiara followed his motion and almost dropped everything she was holding, but she steadied herself. There at a small table by a window sat the old woman she expected to see in the square that morning.

The men continued their conversation, some talking about how they never knew Thomas was a 'practicer', and some swearing they had always suspected, and still others questioning the validity of the accusation in the first place. The old woman appeared to be staring, unblinkingly, at her table. A mug clutched tightly to her chest that she had apparently forgotten. Leiara thought the stare might burn a hole through the thick wood, and if her prior knowledge of this character was correct, she knew she could. What should she do?

Another bark of her name shook her from her thoughts and she turned to look at Marckus who was waving her over, another man standing at the bar with a large parchment waiting for a signature that Marckus provided once he was satisfied that Leiara was approaching.

"If I had known you were going to be such a bloody day-dreamer, I might not have take you on lass." He chastised her, but the corners of his mouth twitched at the wide-eyed look she gave him.

Leiara looked over her shoulder back at the old woman, and now the old woman was looking at them. More specifically, she was looking at the parchment that Marckus was now passing back to the man who had been waiting at the counter.

"This," he said, handing Leiara a second parchment as she turned her attention back to him distractedly, "is a delivery for the feast up at the castle tonight. Go into the back and get me the bottle of wine laying on top of the crates. It is for the King's table on the night Lady Helen will perform."

Leiara nodded slowly, but she was keeping the corner of her eye on the witch by the window who was still very interested in the goings on at the counter.

She stepped around the counter and went into the backroom as she was bade and came out clutching the bottle of wine. She tapped Marckus in his large arm and held it up for his confirmation that she had the right one, though she was not even looking at him. She was watching the old woman who had gotten up as was exiting the tavern in an ambled rush.

Marckus grabbed her wrist and pushed the hand holding the bottle of wine back down again - apparently she had just been holding it up in his face despite his many confirmations. Now he looked at her very concerned. "I need you to deliver the feast preparations to the royal kitchens," he said gruffly. "They'll be outside in a cart. Dun worry, it won't be heavy," he said at the look on her face "it's just an order of breads and cheese."

Leirara nodded and almost bolted for the door - she wanted to see where that woman was headed. "Oi!" yelled Marckus after her. "Be sure to tell them that bottle is fer the King's table, and get yer head checked while you are there!"

* * *

Leiara burst outside and looked left and right quickly, but saw no sign of the old woman. _Bugger_, she thought and stomped her foot a bit staring off down the road. She did not like not knowing what was coming. It occurred to her that this was a silly little fear because this was just a coma dream, but still... She didn't want dream-Arthur to get killed either... What fun would that be?

She glanced down at the medium-sized cart sitting under cover of the wooden awning of the tavern and huffed the air in her cheeks out. She did not look forward to the manual labor of hauling this cart to the castle, but her spirits lifted tremendously at all the familiar faces she might see. And now she had an excuse to visit Gaius... Even though she knew she didn't really need to... Maybe.

The effort was not as intense as she thought it would be, and the wheels of the cart clacked over the grey stones of the yard as she looked for an entrance that looked promising.

Her eyes finally caught a lone guard standing beneath a small archway in the wall, and she pulled her cart over to him noisily. He looked down at her evenly and she waved in what she hoped was a cheerful way. "I have a delivery for the kitchens" she said.

The man opened his mouth to respond before she interrupted; "Oh! And wine for the King's table!" She grinned pleased with herself for remembering.

The guard obviously could care less and after demanding the order parchment, he waved her off around to the other side of the castle, back clear across the square and around the training grounds instructing her to knock on the first set of double doors she came to.

She frowned at the obviously grumpy guard and his rushed directions, but her irritation passed quickly. If she was honest, the idea of going through the training grounds was more than a bit exciting... Maybe Arthur... No... No way... _No point getting your hopes up_ she thought taking a deep breath and tugging at the cart until it started moving again. Besides, if this dream was going to give her everything she wanted, she would not be a barmaid hauling a cart like a donkey across the castle courtyard.

* * *

Okay, so Arthur was not in the training grounds_. Good thing I didn't get my hopes up_ she thought bitterly, though she could feel the slow creep of disappointment pass over her.

She meandered back the way she came after her delivery had been made and was not looking forward to addressing Grumpy Guard again, but her spirits took a turn for the better when she realized she just might meet Gaius... At _least_... She smiled at that to herself, automatically pulling a fallen lock of hair over her shoulder to fiddle with as she walked and daydreamed about meeting... Gaius. She was only thinking to herself, but she embarrassed herself anyway and blushed a bit as she came upon the surly statue of a man. He looked down his nose at her with a 'what do you want now' expression on his face.

"Gaius?" she asked, much more clipped than their first meeting. She did not even bother smiling at the man and he jerked a thumb over his shoulder indicating that she should enter through his little archway and ascend the stairs behind him. She lifted the hem of her skirt and did so without so much as a 'thank you', knowing it would be wasted on him anyway.

She wound her way through the castle, taking her time looking at all the paintings and tapestries, servants and courtiers, ornate windows and lavish furniture that filled the halls. This was it. Castle Camelot. It looked so familiar, so exciting. She almost wanted to pinch herself, but then thought better of it. She was liking this dream so far, so why try to wake herself.

She had to ask directions a few more times as she kept getting distracted and lost, but it was not long before she was standing in a narrow hallway in the upper levels of the castle right in front of a wooden door that she knew to be Gaius' chambers.

She clenched and released her fists several times and shook her hands out pushing a long breath of air through her lips before inhaling and holding it. _Here goes_... She knocked meekly. _Oh God_. The wait was overwhelming and it seemed like in eon had passed between her knock and the subsequent response, but in reality It was not two heartbeats before the door began to open.

* * *

When the door finally opened - her anticipation had slowed her internal clock immensely - she was eye-level with a blue shirt framed by a brown jacket and a red... handker... _Oh... My..._ Her eyes roamed upwards to his face and she pulled her lips down under her teeth and bit down to keep from squeaking like a complete spaz. _Merlin_.

She stared at his face, without seeing it, she was too busy silently going to pieces. She could feel the blood rushing up her face and into her cheeks like a thermometer stuck in a roasting pig. _I must look a fool_ she thought, though the time that had passed was only a split second to the rest of the normal world.

Merlin was looking around the door at her in a polite way; "Hello." he said with a small smile. Are you looking for Gaius?"

A nod. She could manage a nod. But just one. A slow one.

Without further question, Merlin stepped back and pulled the door fully open; "Oh, well, he has gone off on a quick errand, but he'll be right back. Come in!" He voice was light and kind and Leiara stepped over the threshold certain that everyone in a 10 mile radius would hear her heart pounding in her chest.

He closed the door behind her and gestured to the table for her to sit, which she did gratefully. She watched him look around, turning left then right, then left again, obviously in search of something with a small frown creasing his lips before he smiled again and reached for a pitcher on a shelf. He pulled down a pewter mug and poured some water into it setting it down in front of her.

She watched his every movement slightly wide-eyed, still biting down on her lips awkwardly. She had forgotten all about them.

He dusted his hands off on his trousers nervously before stepping forward and offering his hand into the awkward silence. "I'm Merlin." He said, giving her a coaxing look.

She took his hand in hers, and instantly regretted it. She was clammy and a bit shaky. Great. Now there was shaking. She gave it one good shake before she dropped her hand and utterly failed in all her awe to offer her name up as well.

Merlin took it all in stride and sat down next to her obviously believing her ailment was what caused this peculiar behavior. She wished.

She turned towards him as he did so, yet leaned away a bit.

He cocked his head to the side a bit and touched his own lips; "Can you not speak?" He said, genuine concern colouring his tone.

At this, she finally unfurled her now sore lips and licked them once before croaking out her first words; "N..No, I can." she said a little hoarsely.

Merlin grinned at her... One of his large, very Merlin-y grins, and she rested her hands on the bench she was sitting on to make sure that she would not topple off of it in a fit of giddiness at the sight.

He watched her interestedly and asked; "Are you a patient, then?" He looked kind of guilty for prying, but she was not offering much up in the way of conversation.

She nodded again. This time twice. Progress.

Merlin nodded along with her and tried another smile. "What's your name?"

Rile...Leiara. She chastised herself inwardly at the slip.

Merlin did not seem to notice, or he let it go, she could not tell. He just smirked and said; "Nice to meet you, Leiara."

She smiled back at him.

* * *

Just then the door opened and Leiara jumped ripping her eyes off Merlin - _very reluctantly_ - to see Gaius stepping through. At this she just grinned. _Good ol' Giaus_. There he was. She was very fond of this character, and while the eagerness to meet him was certainly different from the eagerness she felt for Merlin, it was no less important. Just less nerve-wracking and blood-propelling.

"Merlin, I need you to take this to..." He had just turned to address the young warlock when he caught site of Leiara.

"Ah, Leiara" he said. "I see you have met Merlin. Good. Good. He will be staying with me and studying, er, medicine."

Leiara hardly had time to marvel at how on earth Gaius knew who she was when he was looking down into her face, his wizened hands cupping her throat as he looked into her eyes. "Now, what brings you here child? Did you hit your head again? How are the headaches? The dreams?"

Leiara tried to look over her shoulder at Merlin who was watching quietly behind her.

"Don't worry, m'dear. Merlin can be trusted." Gaius stated mistaking her behaviour for shyness, when really, she just felt odd with Merlin... _Merlin_... Behind her looking at her.

Gaius gently turned her head again and watched her expectantly waiting for her answer; "I feel fine. Marckus made me come." she said.

Gaius raised an eyebrow... Yep... _That_ eyebrow... And she smiled sheepishly.

"I don't remember hitting my head... Do I have bad dreams?" she said looking at him, unable to stop the questions.

Gaius frowned starting to run his fingers around her scalp. "Do you not remember the last time you were here?"

She paused here. How was she supposed to answer this? To her knowledge, this was her first time here, but Marckus and now Gaius are treating her as if she has been here longer. She decided to go with the truth. "Nope." She said. "Not at all."

Gaius' frown deepened, and this worried her a bit. "What happened?" she asked. "What did I say?"

Gaius sat down across from her and folded his hands. "Well, you had hit your head while working in the tavern. Quite badly actually, but you did not come see me for three days until Marckus wheeled you in here talking of you being 'out of sorts' and having some nose bleeds."

Both Merlin and Leiara leaned forward. She was so hyper-aware of him being right there, that it was almost hard to concentrate, but she focused, eager to learn more about her coma - maybe her subconscious was attempting to provide some answers.

I thought at first you had a nasty concussion, but upon further investigation you divulged that you had been suffering from headaches before that, and even on some occasions odd dreams.

_What am I, Morgana?_ she thought. "Dreams? I do not recall any dreams." she stated flatly beginning to wonder if Marckus had put him up to this for some end she could not fathom.

Gaius nodded. "They were really quiet fantastic, actually. You told me you dreamed about things that I had never heard of before, and places and events that seemed... Otherworldly." He rose and moved across to his desk on the far end of the room near his modest cot and riffled through some papers there before finding what it was he wanted and returning to sit across from her.

He chanced a glance at Merlin, that she caught despite his effort to be sneaky, and read off some words; "bus, bus stop, gym bag, cell phone". You were quite out of it, so I was unsure what to make of it to be honest.

Leiara felt her stomach drop like a stone, and was certain any leftover colour in her cheeks had drained away into fearful oblivion.

Merlin looked at Gaius with his mouth open slightly and then back at Leiara, concern replacing his astonishment as he read her features. Gaius reached a hand out and patted her arm gently. "Now, child, there is no need to fear. Your memory of these events will return, I am certain of it." Again, he misread her reaction - mostly because he did not know the truth. Or, did _she_ not know the truth.

She rose quickly from the bench. "You must be mistaken. Or you misheard me. I do not know those words, and I certainly did not dream them up." She looked panicky and she knew it. She knew she was in good company when it came to the bizarre and unexplainable, but she still did not wish to give herself up just yet.

"Leiara" Gaius said rising also and Merlin followed suit. But she looked like she was about to bolt, and Gaius new it so he back peddled, not wanting to lose his patient. Odd words and dreams aside, she did have a head injury, and she needed tending to.

"Perhaps you are right," he said quickly. "Just a knock on the head is all."

Merlin nodded in agreement when Gaius shot him a look.

Leiara was not dumb. She knew they were placating her, but she was thankful for it anyway, and she let her shoulders drop slightly unaware that she had been holding tension there.

"Merlin" said Gaius waggling a finger towards a high cupboard on the wall. "In that cupboard, fetch me the blue vial."

Merlin did as he was told and strode over to the cabinet to begin his search as Leiara watched cautiously (and a bit gleefully, still reeling from being in such proximity - though now her features hid it well.)

He turned holding up a blue vial and Gaius nodded holding his hand out.

Merlin placed it in his palm and stood watching as the old man shook it up. "This, Leiara, is a draught that will help you focus and help with headaches. Take it once a day for about three days and then come to me again. However, if your nosebleeds come back, then you must come back immediately." He crooked his eyebrow at her and she smiled helplessly at the expression.

She nodded. "Thanks, Gaius." She smiled a bit looking at the draught before turning to Merlin, her cheeks gaining some colour back. "Nice to meet you" she said looking at him for perhaps a second too long.

He smiled at her brightly, and her heart fluttered like a school-girl; "And you," he said offering her a jaunty wave as she turned to leave.

* * *

She had to ask directions to get back out of the castle again - she really was terrible at directions - and when she stepped outside again into the court yard, ignoring the Grump still standing in the archway, she noted that it was now late afternoon. As she wandered back towards the tavern, her thoughts lingered on the witch from earlier. The one that was supposed to be impersonating Lady Helen and threatening Arthur in a couple of nights.

She needed to find out what the old woman was doing or planning. Obviously this was playing out differently than it had done in her memory, and she wondered vaguely if it was her presence in this universe that was changing events. She would ask Marckus about her. He was bound to know something.

Once she had settled on a tactic for dealing with the witch mystery, her thoughts returned to her own predicament. Now it appeared that she had definitely been here longer than she thought, and had been dreaming about her modern life. So which one was real? Was she really from Arthurian times, living this out, and dreaming of some distant future where she could predict advancements in technology and transportation? That seemed highly unlikely... Unless she had magic... _Man, that would be brilliant_, her mind interjected, but still unlikely.

So, she must be in a coma in the modern world and dreaming about this one... Or, something else entirely was going on. On queue, her head started to hurt and she looked at the vial still in her hands.

She popped it open and took a swig, pulling a face as she did so. _Disgusting_...

* * *

After returning to the tavern proving that she had delivered the goods and been seen to by Gaius (she had to show Marckus the vial, of course), she got to work. It was evening time and if she thought midday was busy, she was in a for a terrible surprise. Her feet were killing her, and she was about to go batty and chop all her new flowing hair off with a knife behind the counter before she just gave in a tied it in a messy not, strands flowing out of the back of her head every which-way. At least it was not on her neck anymore

She tripped on her hem, spilled more tankards than she cared to count (on herself and others), and kicked more table and chair legs than were even in the room - at least it felt that way. She had never been more exhausted and in lulls between demands of the patrons and barked orders from Marckus she wondered things like; _How will I brush my teeth and shave my legs?_

All these things were swirling around in her mind, but the old witch was what was really eating at her. She didn't know why. Maybe it was because she was no longer certain that this was the dream world, and if it wasn't the dream world, then she definitely should care whether or not Prince Arthur is going to be murdered. She felt certain that even if things did change about the story as she thinks she knows it, the one thing that will _not_ change is the importance of Arthur and Merlin.

During a more protracted lull in the evening, Leiara decided to broach the topic of the old woman with Marckus.

"You know that guy who was executed today? Thomas?" She asked Marckus as she lazily wiped a pewter goblet down with a towel.

"Aye," he said handing her another one.

"Was that his Mother that was in here earlier? I heard some men talking about her as if she was."

"You mean the older lass with long gray hair who stared at more mead than she drank?" Marckus replied.

Leiara nodded.

"Aye" he said again.

Not wanting to just dive into _'hey where does she live and how can I stop her from killing Arthur'_ she said instead; "So sad. I can't imagine what that must be like."

Marckus eyed her out of the corner of his eye and he nodded solemnly. "Aye, girl, it is sad... But Thomas knew the law, and he knew the punishment. If he was practicing magic, then he was riskin' his own neck, and on his head be it."

Leiara shuddered slightly; "It was."

Marckus looked at her and recognized the parallel in his words; "Aye, I suppose it was."

They dried in silence for a few more minutes. "Maybe I should take her something. Flowers, or... Something." She finished lamely.

"That'd be mighty kind of you." Marckus agreed.

Leiara exhaled silently. "Do you know where she lives? Maybe I can drop by tomorrow." Leiara looked up at him and flashed a brilliant smile, feeling like she was being way too obvious.

Marckus did not suspect her motives and started to tell her in detail how to find the woman's house until she stopped him and asked him to write them down instead. She really was bad with directions.

* * *

**AN: Kind of a long chapter for me! I am pleased with it... I think... :) The meeting with Merlin was hugely important to me, so I would love to hear what you think! Thank you for reading! :)**


	5. Pilot, Part 3

**AN: I do not own, nor am I affiliated with Merlin in any way.**

Leiara had no intention of waiting until the next day to check on this woman. If the old witch was going to go after Lady Helen, she would do so tonight in the cover of the woods before Lady Helen arrived. And according to the canon, Lady Helen was at least a day's ride out. _Damn it. Even if I left now, the old woman would be long gone to reach her camp by now._ But she had to try. If not only to get confirmation that this was indeed the old woman's plan. It still didn't explain her interest in the transaction at the tavern this afternoon, though.

An idea presented iteslf, and she plastered a squinty look on her face and put her hand to her head. Marckus eyed her; "What is it, girl?"

"Headache," she said, trying to sound a bit pitiful without over-selling it. "Gaius told me to try and take it easy if I could," she fibbed easily - though she felt bad about it. As little as she knew about Marckus, she really liked the man, he had apparently taken her in, gave her work, and put a roof over her head. That in itself made the pangs of guilt bubble up in her stomach.

Marckus frowned a bit and scanned the bar, likely determining if he thought he could hack it alone or not. "A'right" he said. "Go one then." he smirked at her. "But you be sure to rest... Agnes has asked to borrow you for the next two days, and I don't want you draggin' your feet while there."

"Agnes?" asked Leiara.

Marckus rolled his eyes at her. "Yes, Agnes. She runs the kitchens up at the castle, and needs extra hands for the feast."

Leiara made a face. Working in the castle kitchens was not high on her list of things to do. Not with this witch to worry about.

"Now don't start, girl. You will be paid extra for the work," he snorted at her.

He reached underneath the counter and handed her a folded tabard. "You are to wear this," he said handing it to her.

It was beautiful, she had to admit. It was Pendragon red with the gold dragon insignia embroidered upon it. She ran her fingers over it before looking up at Marckus again. "Why do I need this? If I am just going to be in the kitchens?" She looked perplexed.

"Now, you and I both know you cannot cook lass." Marckus chuckled. "I said Agnes was head of the kitchens and that she needed a hand, not that you would be cooking."

Leiara blinked waiting for him to continue on and make some sense.

He looked amused that she still had not caught on. "You are a serving girl. So, you will be serving."

Leiara's mouth popped open and Marckus laughed again, putting a large hand on her shoulder. "It is a honor, y'know. You should be pleased! Jus' make sure you close your mouth," he said putting two fingers under chin and closing it for her.

"Now off with ya, " he barked playfully as he went back to scrubbing down some mugs. "And report to the kitchens in the evening tomorrow. You can have the day to yerself."

Leiara stood on her toes, one hand on his shoulder and pecked him on the cheek before heading for the back door. Just as she stepped into the night air, Marckus' voiced wafted back to her; "And don't louse it up. I have a reputation to keep!"

She laughed a bit heading towards her shack.

* * *

She entered her little home and quickly went for the chest, remembering she had a shawl inside that she pulled out and swung over her shoulders. She let her hair down from its messy state at the back of her head, and laid the tabard gently on her bed, looking at it for a long second. It sank in that she would be serving at the celebrations in the next two days... All of them would be in the same room, and someone might try to kill Arthur.

_This life is a lot more complicated and far more interesting_.

Clutching the instructions to the witch's home in her hands and wrapping her shawl around her more tightly, she stepped out into the now very dark night... She got about 20 feet before she turned around and went back inside looking for a key to lock her door... _See, I can remember things_... She found the key hidden inside one of the pewter pots next to the cupboard and used it to lock up before dropping it into her apron pocket.

It was certainly very dark. There were no street lamps here, and she found that she was quite nervous wandering through unknown territory by only moonlight.

She found the instructions hard to read and often stopped next to musty windows that still had candlelight flooding out of them and leaning into it. She did her best to keep track of where she was going, but she was getting increasingly more anxious that she would be unable to find her way back.

Just when she was about to give in to a small panic attack, what Marckus had described as the woman's house came into view tucked away in between two other small houses in a tiny alley amidst a very tightly packed neighborhood. It was quiet obviously a more shabby part of Camelot, and the smells of sweat and dirt was stronger down here.

Her heart leapt a bit when she saw the soft glow of a light coming through the cracks in a the drafty wooden door at the center of the woman's house. She looked around herself to see of anyone was nearby - though she could not be certain of anything - it was so dark.

She tucked her instructions back into her pocket and crept close to the door attempting to peak inside, unsure what she was hoping to find. On the one hand, and the more preferable hand, if the witch wasn't there, then maybe the whole thing would play out as expected, and hopefully all would work out the way it should. Though, there was no real way to tell. But, on the other hand, if the witch was there, then there was no telling if/how/when this woman would threaten Arthur, which made it significantly more difficult to thwart her plans.

She finally found a sufficient crack in the door to peer through, and there was the witch standing at a table with all manner of magical paraphernalia. Several books, a couple of candles lighting the area, some vials with suspect liquid, a dagger, and a doll. She recognized that doll, she should be using that to kill Lady Helen right about now, but she obviously isn't. _What's going on here..._

She leaned back away from the door, pulling at her shawl distractedly trying to think of what she was supposed to do with this information. Obviously, confronting the witch was not going to work... Should she tell Merlin or Gaius? What about Marckus?

What she did know: The witch was preparing for some kind of magic, she was not currently in the woods attacking Lady Helen, and she was interested in the goings on at the tavern.

She was frowning into the night when the door swung open bathing her in light without warning. She was stunned for only a moment, but the old woman was too fast and with a flick of her wrist and a muttered "stille", Leiara crumpled to the ground completely petrified and unable to move or scream. The only thing that was not frozen was her mind, and that had just entered into a state of full-blown, heart-stopping, terror. _This was not supposed to happen_.


	6. Pilot, Part 4

**AN: I do not own, nor am I affiliated with Merlin in any way.**

**AN: I got a suggestion to try and be more descriptive, that it felt like I was rushing... So I have tried to do so. For those who are following the story and reviewing, thank you SO much. I am very grateful for you!**

**AN: Torture/whump warning.**

The old witch smiled down at Leiara's awkwardly prone form. One leg was bent underneath her, the other straightened completely in her fall. She was laying mostly on her left side with her right arm frozen mid-way to protect her head. Her left arm was trapped and twisted under her body. Her face might have been comical in another circumstance, her mouth and eyes were wide in a silent scream, her hair had fallen carelessly all around her head and neck and was clogging her eyes and mouth.

Her eyes started to burn sharply, the urge to blink them was being denied and it was almost torturous enough to demand all of Leiara's attention. That is until the woman croaked "folgian" and Leiara's body was suddenly and jerkily being cruelly scraped along the dirt and stone of the medieval road. Her clothes ripped in places and her skin stung with the burn of scrapes and dirt from jutting stones.

The woman opened her front door with a glance and using her yellow eyes as a careless guide, flung Leiara inside, splinters from the crooked wooden floor burying themselves in the exposed part of her skin. Her legs smashed through the table in the center of the room and she hit the far wall with a thud and a crack as her back hit the jagged edge of a small dresser. Her eyes filled with tears, propped open still staring straight ahead, her breaths coming in sharp and stilted gasps - she noted that her lungs had released and were working again, and the scream that had been building in her chest was on the brink of echoing through the lower town, but the witch denied her the satisfaction of crying out with one "shhhhh" and Leiara was once again silenced.

The woman, held up a hand and raised it into the air looking at Leiara. She felt her body climbing up the wall, pinned to it by the unseen force the woman was conjuring. She gasped and stared at the woman, she just wanted to be still. Just wanted to stop. She thought one of her ribs was broken, and she desperately wanted to blink her eyes. Just one slow blink would be heaven.

The decrepit woman released the magic that bound Leiara and she crumpled in a pile at the base of the wall, huffing heavily and closing her eyes tight to the tears that spilled forth, her voice lost somewhere inside her body. She looked up under her hair at the witch and her eyes flickered instinctively to the front door.

"I wouldn't, my darling," the witch cooed. She twirled a finger in the air and leather strips were conjured and swirling in the space around her. "Bindan"

Leiara's feet and hands were bound tightly and she fell forward on her chin as the magic then bound her feet and her hands together behind her back in a crude hogtie.

The woman, satisfied with her work, approached Leiara and lovingly brushed the wavy strands of hair stuck to her face and shoulders away before yanking back on it causing Leiara to whimper. "Now then... Why are you here, Leiara?"

Leiara tried to put a sincere face on; "I... I came t... to check on... you..." she cried. "I wanted...to know... If y... you were... okay."

The witched tossed her head back and laughed waving a finger in Leiara's face, still holding her head up. "Now, come Leiara. I know better than that... Tríewþ" she growled.

Leiara did not like the feeling that pulsed through her at this word, though she did not understand it's meaning.

"Why are you here Leiara?" she asked again leering at her.

Like bile, Leiara felt the words coming out of her mouth without her want or permission; "Because I thought you were going to kill Lady Helen and impersonate her at the celebration in order to get close enough to kill Prince Arthur because Uther executed your son." The words spilled out in a rush and she clamped her mouth shut at the end, but it was too late.

The witch had the decency to look taken-aback at this very detailed confession. "Why, Leiara," she said mockingly affronted, "you are simply diabolical".

Leiara glared at her, silently cursing herself, angry tears creeping down her filthy cheeks again.

The woman released the grip on Leiara's hair, and threw her head forward - it hit the floor hard. "Well, that would have been brilliant. Here I was planning on impersonating a servant, but I should have done that. Maybe I still could."

She placed her mangled old hand to her chin and thought on it for a moment before she smiled down at Leiara again.

She reached down and lifted Leiara's chin roughly. "That is unless you know of someone else that will have access to the royal celebrations?"

Leiara squinted her eyes closed, silently begging herself to remain silent. She didn't.

* * *

_Earlier that day..._

Merlin and Gaius watched as the door shut behind Leiara's retreating form. As soon as they could no longer hear her steps, Merlin turned to look at Gaius. "What was _that_ about?" He strode over to the table where Gaius had been sitting and picked up the piece of paper with the strange words on it.

"I'm not sure." Said Gaius thoughtfully. "She was acting rather strangely, it's true." He cleared away her untouched cup of water and Merlin followed him with his eyes.

"You mean, she's not normally like that?"

"Not to my knowledge, though I only met her a few weeks ago myself. Honestly, my boy, I think her behaviour was more to do with you than any affliction." He chuckled and took the paper from Merlin's fingers, and moved to his desk, tucking it back in with his other documents.

Merlin looked at him quizzically which only made old man smile wider. "Though, she did seem quite put off when I brought up our last meeting. I wonder if she truly does not remember or if she was afraid because you were here listening?"

Merlin shrugged thoughtfully. "Do you think she has magic? Is that why she's afraid?"

"I cannot say, Merlin, but we must keep an eye on her just in case you may be right."

Merlin fell silent drifting off into his thoughts. Could someone else have magic like him? He had never met anyone else like him, but then again he came from a small town, and this was Camelot. He wondered if he would ever be able to ask her and then maybe tell her about his powers. It was nice to have Gaius know, but what he really wanted was someone who knew what it was like.

Gaius had been watching him thoughtfully from his desk; "Merlin, you mustn't ask her if she has magic. At least not yet."

Merlin snapped out of his reverie, and before he could deny any such thoughts he burst out; "why not?"

Gaius raised an eyebrow at him; "Because, Merlin, if she does have magic, she is in terrible danger. Surely you can relate to that? If you confront her now when she is clearly distressed, you might scare her, and Camelot is not a safe place for a cornered sorcerer."

Merlin looked like the wind had been taken out of his sails, but he nodded his promise that he would not confront the young girl... Yet.

"Now," said Gaius, "I need you to deliver medications for me while I go fetch some more ingredients." He handed Merlin two small vials. "Here. Hollyhock and feverfew for Lady Percival and this is for Sir Olwen. He is blind as a weevil so warn him not to take it all at once."

Merlin inspected the two vials and nodded. "Okay."

"And here," Gaius said offering Merlin a large ham sandwich for the trip.

Merlin grinned and claimed it.

"Off you go" said Gaius with a smirk.

Merlin had just made it to the door before Gaius stopped him again; "And Merlin... I need hardly tell you that the practice of any form of enchantments will get you killed." He waggled a finger at him seriously.

Merlin nodded his understanding and took his leave, taking a large bite of the sandwich as he went.

* * *

_-Splat-_

_I'm not sure the stocks are much better than the cells. _Thought Merlin as he attempted - unsuccessfully - to dodge another warm, over-ripened tomato, and he felt it drip down the back of his neck into his collar. _Ass... That... Ass..._ His aching back and legs and the constant threat of rotting vegetables did nothing to soothe his inner anger at the Crowned Prat. _Daddy's little prince prancing about tormenting those he considered beneath him. Entitled... ASS._

Again Merlin cringed as something else soared his way. It clipped him on the ear and he looked down quickly to see what it was... _Wh... Was that a stalk of celery? Who the bloody hell throws stalks of celery?_ He tried to look up and glimpse the culprit, but sadly all he could really see was pairs of dirty legs in cut off trousers. But it was definitely a youngster.

_-Thwap-_

_Great. And now lettuce._ A large piece of lettuce was capping his head and he shook it to dislodge it, laughing in spite of himself.

As if his laughter had incited the Gods, it started to rain. Merlin's features straightened out as the downpour pelted him relentlessly. _You have -got- to be kidding me._ He licked the wetness off of his lips as it ran down his face and hung his head low. His hovering fans found his new and very soggy state even more amusing and increased their enthusiastic vegetable abuse.

Again, he arched and craned to get a glimpse of his attackers, but it was no use. Just before he resigned himself to settling in and taking whatever it was the Gods and the lower town boys were going to dish out, he was quickly diverted. Coming towards him, far enough out for him to see her face, was Leiara holding a large scarf over her long hair against the now steadying rain. _Well now, there's a welcome sight_. Merlin felt a rush of happiness at seeing a friendly, or at the very least, familiar face. Particularly a familiar face that might be attached to someone who also had magic.

He grinned at her from his awkward position and greeted her cheerfully; "Hello." He waved one of his trapped and bound hands.

She glanced at him as she approached, a deep scowl etched in her features. She looked at him like he was scum, and furthermore, scum that she was not remotely acquainted with.

"Leiara," Merlin said, his cheerful smile sliding off his features, washed away with the rain. "It's Merlin. Remember? We met yesterday?" He was watching her as best he could, but as she got too close, all he could see were her legs, and they did not break stride. Not even once.

Merlin frowned at the ground perplexed. _Was she really that upset about their meeting yesterday? _Before Merlin had the chance to put too much thought into it, Leiara was passing him, and he gasped just as she crossed into his vicinity and stepped past a large puddle that had formed.

The reflection was not that of Leiara, but of someone entirely different. And _old. _Merlin twisted and wriggled, desperately wanting to look at her face again, but she was already past him and he slumped against the wet and sticky wood.

_What was wrong with her? She didn't look old from a distance as she approached... Was she in disguise? Maybe Leiara really was an old woman, and using magic to conceal her age and keep her beauty. _Merlin mused restlessly. He did not like being so trapped when there was a mystery at hand.

_But then again, why would she pretend not to know me? Surely, she would want to keep up the guise..._ "Hmm" he actually vocalized. _She was headed towards the castle... If I could just hurry up and get out of here... _He writhed a bit again, even though he knew it was pointless and he slumped with a sigh.

Only a few minutes had passed when, as if the Gods had tired of their fun at his expense, the sun came out and a Castle guard came to free him from his captivity.

He stood upright gingerly, and forcibly slow, he back was killing him. He may be young, but no one is meant to stand like that for extended periods. Certainly not after sleeping on a cold cell floor the night before_. Stupid git_. He thought scathingly of the Royal Pain himself as he stretched his arms and arched his back, a large and satisfying crack creaked its way down his spine.

Once he was fully upright and his muscles were reconfigured to their proper positions, he jogged off in the direction of the castle.

* * *

Merlin burst into Gaius' chambers, losing his footing a bit and grabbing onto the swinging door for support.

"There you are," said Gaius spooning something into a bowl. He turned and handed it off to Merlin who grabbed it gratefully and threaded his lanky legs over the bench to sit down. "Would you like some vegetables with..."

But Merlin had cut across him, his mouth full of sticky porridge. "You'll never guess what I saw in the courtyard." His words were intelligible enough but Gaius made a face watching him speak through goopy gray foodstuff.

"Merlin, eat, then talk." He wrinkled his nose.

Merlin swallowed hard and pulled a grimace looking now for something to wash it down. His eyes settled on a water jug near the window and with a flicker of gold it soared to him, sloshing to a standstill in front of him on the table.

"Merlin!" Barked Gaius and raised a hand to swat at him, but he deftly ducked it. "What have I told you about using magic?!"

Merlin had gulped some water and stuffed another helping into his mouth, grinning around it at Gaius' expression. "Sorry" He said, though he didn't look it.

Gaius sighed and could not help but smile a bit at the boy. "So, what did you see in the courtyard?"

Merlin's face lit up and he swallowed again grabbing at the water. "I think she does have magic." He said now wiping his mouth on his sleeve.

"Who?" said Gaius, confused.

"Leiara. I saw her walking in the square, but she was old. Really old."

Gaius' eyebrow shot up. "Then how did you know it was her?"

"Well, _she_ didn't look old, but her reflection sure did. And she acted like she had never seen me before."

"That doesn't sound right." Gaius frowned, and set to looking about for something.

Merlin watched him, picking again at his food when Gaius finally returned to the table, thumbing through a thick book he had found sitting on his nightstand.

"What are you looking for?" Merlin asked, leaning up to look at the book, though it was upside down to him.

Without breaking his search, Gaius said; "A spell that would create such an illusion."

At this, Merlin rose and crossed to the other side of the table to stand behind Gaius and look at the book properly over his shoulder. "Well...?"

"Well, nothing, so far. I am not sure what I am looking for. Where was she headed?"

"To the castle, it looked like, but I couldn't really see once she got past me." He was still staring at the book, trying to catch everything before Gaius turned each page.

Gaius closed the book with a snap and Merlin looked disappointed. But before he could commit to complaining about it, Gaius turned and handed the book to Merlin.

Merlin grinned hugely at him, and opened it up, his thin fingers caressing the pages as he turned them. "Thanks, Gaius." He said in almost a whisper. He had never been given such a gift.

Gaius smiled fondly at him. "You must keep it hidden. It must never been seen by anyone but us."

Merlin nodded without tearing his gaze from the pages. "I know. I will keep it safe."

Gaius allowed Merlin another moment before interrupting his silent happiness. "About Leiara... Perhaps you should go and see Marckus down at The Rising Sun. He might know something about where she is."

Merlin looked up at this remembering his little mystery and he closed the book tucking it under his arm. "Right. Good idea... Though, I really should clean up first," he said inspecting himself before dashing off to his room, stealing a bucket and a cloth on his way that Gaius had obviously laid out for him.

* * *

"No, lad, I don't know where she is. I told 'er she could have the day off today before reporting to the castle kitchens tonight." Marckus folded his arms looking on at Merlin rather suspiciously. _Who is this idiot calling after Leiara_.

Merlin read his expression and changed tack. "Gaius is looking for her. He just wanted to have her back in to check on her. I'm his assistant." Merlin flashed a winning smile at him and folded his hands behind his back.

Marckus' expression softened at the mention of Gaius. "Right... Well, as I said, I do not know where she has got to." Marckus looked a little worried and offered; "last I saw her, she was heading to bed with a headache. I have not seen her all day. I figured she was having a lie-in , or already off to see ol' lady Collins.

Merlin's gaze froze. "_Old_ lady Collins?" _Why was that name familiar_?

"Aye," Marckus nodded. "She wanted to check in on her to see if she was doin' a'right after her son an' all."

At Marckus' words, Merlin understood. Old Lady Collins was Thomas Collins' mother. The man who had been executed by the King for using magic.

"I see. Well, I guess I will just look for her there." Merlin looked eager to leave, but Marckus did not notice. "Do you know where I can find her house?"

Marckus nodded and rattled off the directions to him. "Check her home first, there, lad, It's out back. She may still be in, and when you do see her, tell her to come by and see me. She shouldn't leave me to worry after her."

Merlin smiled at him and took his leave through the back of the tavern at Marckus' invitation.

* * *

Merlin knocked three times on Leiara's door, looking around at the yard in back of the tavern while he waited. He turned to the door again and stared at it, rocking up on his feet restlessly. He waited for a good minute before walking around the little building looking for a view inside. If his knock had woken her, he wanted to give her time to dress herself before he started staring through windows at her - though he heard no movement inside. He found a window on the adjacent wall and peered through it into the small space and realized instantly that she was not there.

Nothing looked particularly alarming about the room. The bed looked like it had not been slept in, or at the very least had been made neatly, there was no way to tell, though. He righted himself and paused for a moment and started to get a bit worried, even though there was no evidence that he _needed_ to be worried just yet. Maybe she really had gone to the castle... But the coincidence that she went to see an old woman, and her reflection looked like an old woman was just too curious.

Merlin turned on his heel and passed through the narrow path to the main street, not bothering to go through the tavern and update Marckus.

Merlin was far better at directions than Leiara and he moved with purpose through the bustling market down into the lower town which had also come alive with people starting to wrap up their daily business - wrangling children, stopping and talking with friends and neighbours. It was still an overcast day, but it was nice, and spirits in Camelot seemed high. Nothing at all gave him the impression that his day was about to take a sharp turn in an entirely different direction.

We he came upon Old Lady Collins' house, he noticed at once that there was something off. For one, it was completely darkened. There were no candles lighting the inside even through the hour was getting later and the sky was filled with clouds. Secondly, and perhaps more unnervingly - though it was really a simple mistake anyone could make - the door was cracked open.

Merlin knocked on the door, and it swung open, leaving his raised hand hanging in mid air. He looked over his shoulder several times to check that he was not being watched, and after he waited for a gentleman laden with several horse blankets to pass, he ducked inside, clicking the door shut behind him. _It's too dark_. His eyes flashed once and two candles in the room jumped into life without him asking for it. This 'it just happens' magic was the only kind of magic Merlin knew. It usually manifested itself in something he wanted or needed. He simply thought of it, gave it a bit of focus (on occasion), and his magic would do the rest. It really was quite convenient - when it was not involuntary. Involuntary in the wrong company could mean quite a problem for Merlin.

His eyes scanned the room slowly, and he noticed at once all the magic items that were both on the table and strewn about on the floor. The furniture looked out of place like a struggle had occurred here. Merlin tried to imagine Leiara attacking an old woman, and scowled to himself as he stepped further in. _Surely not_. He bent and picked up a wicker doll that had been laying on the ground near the out-of-place table. Maybe Leiara did not do the attacking. This was the mother of a sorcerer, maybe she did the attacking.

Merlin looked more quickly around the room, his magic suddenly crackling under his skin, bracing for an attack that might come at any moment. He still held the doll fast in his hands, as he crept forward towards a shabby curtain that hung next to screen blocking off the woman's bed from the rest of the small shack.

He reached his hand up slowly and in one quick movement, he grasped it and flung it back, ready for whatever would jump out.

When nothing did, he exhaled sharply and closed his eyes for a moment allowing his adrenaline to work its way out of his system.

He was about to turn from the small side room when he heard the tiniest creak of a floorboard coming from in _front_ of him? And if possible _below_ him? He could see nothing in the small area at all. "Hello? Who's there?" It was the only thing he could think of to say... Friend or foe, he was ready.

As if his words had given permission to the hidden something, a loud thumping and a string of whimpers floated up to him from... _Under the bed_?

He dropped the doll and shoved the small bed away. In the dim candlelight flickering through the room he could just make out a wide, watery, and very frightened golden-hazel eye peering up at him. The whimpers and thrashing increased when the scared eye caught site of him.

Merlin did not think. He was not absolutely certain it was Leiara, but he was not going to wait and find out. Whoever it was, they were trapped and terrified. His fingers roamed shakily around all of the boards looking for a way to lift one free.

Finally, he found a loose one and tugged on it, pulling it free and tossing it aside. Two other boards came up easily and he discarded them quickly.

He only took a split second to take in the view before him, but what he saw was so cruel and sad that it felt like ages that he had to stare down at it.

Leiara was bound underneath the floor, hogtied with her limbs twisted in unnatural ways. Her dress had been removed leaving only the thin gray under-dress which was ripped in several places and filthy. Her hair stuck to almost every inch of her sweaty exposed skin. Her mouth was bound by a bit of a leather strip that apparently held a wad of her dirty dress in her mouth to keep her from screaming, and probably breathing effectively.

The eternal split second ended and Merlin reached down into the hole behind her head to untie the leather strip. His heart was pounding in his chest, his long fingers shaking violently, but he worked the knot quickly and threw the strip aside and pulled the wad of cloth out of Leiara's mouth without pause, throwing it over his shoulder.

He had not considered in his haste the sound that would result from freeing her mouth of it binds, and his heart stopped when the deep cry came from her. It might have been a scream, but her mouth was dry, and her throat closed from trying to scream for someone to hear her for God knows how long.

She sucked in thick breaths around the cries and whimpers, the tears in her eyes spilling out of her quickly.

Merlin stepped down into the little hole, each foot on either side of her, careful not to tread on any part of her. He bent over at the waist and attacked the binds that kept her hands and feet twisted together behind her back. Her wracking sobs made him shake more, desperate to free her, but his fingers felt like ice as he fumbled with the knots. _Damn it_. He closed his eyes to hide the gold and the binds sprung away.

Merlin had thought that freeing her limbs would offer her some relief. _Wrong_. Her arms and legs fell limp and she cried out, this time the scream coming easily though it was raspy and muted in her dry throat. Her muscles had been tightened in this way for so long that releasing them caused shock waves of pain to shoot through her. Merlin's fingers fluttered around her uselessly for a moment before he quickly yanked the remaining binds that kept her two feet together, and then her two hands. He had to get her out of this hole.

He knew she would cry out, but he had no other choice. He moved his left foot so it was on the same side of her as his right, and he squatted down, scooting his left hand under the backs of her knees, and his right under her shoulders. He jostled her into position and her breath hitched and she whimpered.

With a look of determination and a grunt, he heaved her up into his arms. He may have been skinny and not one of those 'save the world types' like _Arthur_, but he was not weak. Certainly not too weak to pull a smaller girl from a hole in the ground to save her life.

He stepped up onto the floor and moved her into the more open area of the hut. He stared at the front door and locked it with a glance before he knelt down lowering her into his lap. She was completely limp and still completely undone. She had clasped her hands together at her chest and her knuckles were white with the grip. She looked like she might have been cold, but it was not cold air that bothered her. She was still in shock.

Merlin removed his left hand from behind her knees and supported her shoulders upright with his other. He brushed her long hair off of her face and shoulders flipping it behind her over his arm, then he pulled her into his chest, wrapping his arms around her gently. She leaned her cheek against his shoulder and he leaned his on her hair. She was still crying and trembling all over.

Merlin muttered low words of comfort to her; "Shhhh, it's okay. You're going to be just fine, I promise." He rocked with her slightly, though her cries were not yet subsiding.

_This was wrong. Why would someone do this to he? She did not strike him as someone who got into trouble, let alone put herself in danger of being tortured in such a way_. He felt a deep worry for her, and as his magic was wont to do in times of need or distress, he felt it radiate through him and it seemed to lift off his skin like steam, though there was no visible change in his body. He could feel it coiling and surrounding them, strands of it brushing lightly over Leiara. He kept still with his cheek pressed to the top of her head hoping she would not look up suddenly and see his eyes - so he closed them.

Within moments, Leiara's breathing slowed, the sobs became more like small sniffles, and he felt her muscles starting to uncoil. She let her hands fall to her lap, no longer clasped in a death grip at her chest, and she sank into his shoulder, breathing evenly.

He lifted his head and tilted it a bit to look down at her, and she looked up at him, pulling her head away from his shoulder. He smiled gently at her. "Leiara," he said kindly. She did not return the smile yet, but she looked at him like he was the last kind face on earth and laid her head back down on him.

He accepted her silence and simply held her there for a good 20 minutes, until he was brought out of his silent thought when she shifted a little in his arms. He looked down at her quickly, loosening his grip to let her move if that was what she wanted. God knows he did not want to bind her in any way.

"_Arthur_." she said.

"Arthur?" Merlin could not help the small note of derision in his voice at the Prince's name. _Why on earth would she say 'Arthur'? It's not like the prat came down of his high throne to save her..._

Leiara missed the tone entirely and said; "he in trouble." Her voice got stronger as she said this, as if her mind was finally emerging from whatever safe place it had been hiding in to join the rest of the world.

Now she looked up at Merlin worried, and he returned the glance. Her words had caused him to mentally rewind through his day, to what brought him here in the first place. He had seen Leiara in the square... But she was not in the square, she was bound up in a hole beneath the floor of a witch's house.

"The witch?" he said, and Leiara nodded.

"She is going to try to kill Arthur tonight." Leiara had officially started to scramble out of Merlin's arms as she tried to get up. He released her without question and then caught her again when she came back down, her breath hitching as she gasped around her definitely broken rib.

He took this moment to really look her over. He had not done so before out of distraction for her immediate needs, and then later because she was in her undergarments... Staring at her would have been highly inappropriate... But now, he suspected there was more to her injuries than just the mental wounds of being bound and buried under the floor. He noticed all the bruises and splinters and scrapes that showed through the mangled parts of her dress, and she clutched at her rib cage leaning on him again.

"We need to get you to Gaius." He shifted as if to lift her into his arms again, but she put a hand on his arm to stop him.

"No... There's no time. I just... Just help me up." she tried again to hoist herself up, her face turning a bit pale as she did so, but he grabbed her under the arm and lifted her gingerly to her feet. She gripped his shoulder, digging her fingertips in, breathing heavily in long gusts through her mouth trying to work through the pain.

He just watched her frowning, his teeth clenched together helpless as she went through this. Once she got a hold of her breathing, she stood fully straight with a groan and released his shoulder with a quick apology. "Sorry." and she grimaced at him.

"No need," he said his hands still out, ready to catch her if she swayed. She didn't though, and she managed to hold her feet. She rolled her shoulders and tried stretching her arms experimentally. It was both very painful and very needed, her face reflecting both emotions evenly. She looked down at herself and wrinkled her nose at the torn dress draped off of her. She came from a completely different time, so her reaction was not one of modesty, mostly it was one of disgust. She felt wretched. And never in her life did she miss showers more than she did right now.

Merlin was still watching her, braced for her to falter, when she finally turned her attention to him. "We have to go. We have to get the castle before that witch kills the prince."

Merlin's face melted from one of concern to one of petulance. "Why should we?" he snorted.

"I know you don't like him much right now, but believe me, you will change your tune." she had spoke without thinking. She assumed that he had suffered his first run-in with the Prince at some point yesterday and she assumed he was still angry with him. While her assumptions were true, how would she know that?

Merlin asked her just that. "How do you know I don't like him?" His eyebrows disappeared under his wavy black hair.

Leiara flushed and then waved a hand dismissively at him; "Well, you know, your whole attitude." She gestured at him as a whole. She peeked up at him sideways before busying herself with her hair.

Merlin frowned slightly at her words. "And why will I change my tune?" He asked now.

_Bugger all he was perceptive. She really needs to watch what she says from now on_. "Well," she stalled looking at his face. "You just saved some girl you barely even know. You're just... Nice. So, yeah, I expect that your ill feelings towards Arthur will eventually change, because you just can't stay mad."

She even felt this explanation was highly suspect, but there was nothing she could do about it now. Merlin chewed on it for a few moments, and seemed to buy it, though he was skeptical of its accuracy. "If you say so."

Leiara nodded and turned to head for the door. She discovered quickly that walking was quite different than standing and she gripped the nearby table with a wince. Merlin was at her side in a moment, and she looked up at him. "I'm good. I'm good."

Merlin threaded his right hand behind her and placed his hand on the right side of her waist, using his left hand to support her arm. "All the same," he said as he helped her move towards the door.

She reached out to open it, then paused with her hand over the latch. Without warning, she turned in his arms and wrapped her hands around him in a tight hug, placing her forehead against his chest. She held tight to the back of his shirt for a long moment, and he heard a muffled; "thank you so much, Merlin."

He was stunned for a second, but the muffled appreciation made him smile and he wrapped his arms around her shoulders, resting his chin on her head. "My pleasure."

She could hear the smile in his voice, and she blushed slightly. She was not entirely oblivious. Two percent of this hug was her having a 'Riley' moment, hugging Merlin, but the other 98% was genuine relief and gratefulness that the ever-kind and ever-curious Merlin was there to save her from the worst thing that had yet happened to her in her very boring life. And she would _never_ forget it. At this, she looked up at him and smiled before turning to the door again, Merlin quickly gripping her in a supportive configuration as they entered the now-dark lower town, leaving the old woman's house behind.


	7. Pilot, Part 5

**AN: I do not own, nor am I affiliated with Merlin in any way.**

**AN: I struggled with this chapter a lot. I apologize if it falls short. :(**

The walk back through the lower and upper parts of Camelot to the Castle was slow-going. The only thing that kept Leiara from panicking was the silence of the warning bells. Surely, if something had happened to the Prince, they would be sounding off by now. They still had time.

Merlin still supported her as they walked, but he was very quiet.

Leiara glanced up at him. _I wonder what he's thinking about... Stupid... Ask him. _"What are you thinking about?" she asked without looking at him, still wanting to keep the current pace.

"You, actually. How did you know the witch was going to attack Prince Arthur?" His voice was curious, but also slightly skeptical.

"Well, she told me, then she turned into me and left. It sort of left me with little doubt of her intentions."

Merlin nodded and readjusted his hands around her. "But why would she tell you her plans?"

Leiara shrugged and winced at the adjustment. "Dunno. She had me in quite the bind. I guess she felt I would not be getting free anytime soon... Hang on... How did _you_ know where to find me, anyway?" Leiara diverted him from his questioning. She knew where this questioning would lead, and she was not interested in answering hard questions right this moment.

"Oh, that." he cleared his throat. "I saw you... Well, her... In the square. It just didn't _seem_ like you. So, I asked around and Marckus sent me here.

"It'd didn't _seem_ like me?" Leiara stressed the word as he had making it into a question. _Come on Merlin, just tell me about your magic... This will make my life so much easier... Then I won't have to explain how I know...Or lie about why I know._

Merlin seemed to consider her for a very long moment. She tried to look encouraging and he looked away. "Can't put my finger on it." he said casually.

_Pfft, _thought Leiara, but she let it drop.

Merlin seemed to relax a bit when she didn't press him and she decided to change the subject again. "Why are you so fussed at the Prince, anyway."

Merlin snorted sharply. "He's a prat." He said this with such conviction, as if it explained everything that needed explaining.

Leiara suppressed the laugh that was creeping up her chest and settled on a smirk that was covered by the darkness around them. "In what way," she pressed. She wanted to see what she had missed.

In the 'I'm-an-entitled-Prince-who-does-what-he-wants-whenever-he-wants-and-chains-people-up-for-standing-up-to-me' way." Merlin finished his snide string of sing-song mockery with a sniff of annoyance. Clearly he was still very sore about it.

"He can't be all that bad." Leiara tried appealing to Merlin's need to find good in others.

"Well, of course you would say that." Merlin looked down at her with the tiniest smirk, but it was marred a bit by his irritation all the same.

"What does that mean?" Leiara's voice pitched up, bristling at the implication.

Merlin sensed her offense and did not respond, looking a touch sheepish.

Leiara's instinct to drag it out of him despite the resulting tiff that would ensue was difficult to quell, but she managed to drop it anyhow.

* * *

They were in the market now and nearing the castle. She felt a thrill of adrenaline and fear, wondering how on earth they were supposed to stop the witches plan. Leiara didn't know how the woman intended to attack Arthur, so she felt like they were going in blind and unprepared.

She shifted in Merlin's hold and increased the pace, eager to get there and get on with it. "We need to get to the celebration. Do you know your way around?" she asked Merlin, fearing she knew the answer.

He shook his head and she almost cursed. "Well, I guess we'll just have to figure it out." she sighed.

They approached the large stone steps leading up into the castle, and two guards stepped in their path. "What is your business?," one of them asked in a stiff tone.

Leiara opened her mouth with no decent plan in place when Merlin cut across her wrapping his hands around her more firmly. "I am the court physician's assistant. I found this young lady badly hurt from a nasty fall. I must get her to him at once."

Leiara followed his lead and slumped on him a bit trying to look more pitiful. It worked.

The guard looked her over noting her ragged and scraped state and nodded once stepping out of their way.

"Nice." She complimented when they were out of ear-shot. He grinned down at her, and she righted herself and he loosened his grip, but still steadied her - though she was now running on the slow creep of adrenaline and did not really feel any of her aches or tears.

Thankfully, there was quite a bit of fuss going on in the castle, and it was pretty easy to follow the heavy flow of maids, and menservants in the right direction.

Without too many time-wasting detours they finally found themselves standing outside a set of gigantic double-oak doors. The sounds of mirth and music could be heard out in the hall and the pair looked at each other steeling themselves with a deep inhalation of breath.

Merlin pushed on the doors and they entered the room.

* * *

The large doors were pushed closed with a long creak by two guards as the pair stepped in. Nearby conversations were halted as the speakers turned to look at Merlin and Leiara as they came further into the room. Most of the initial onlookers settled back into their previous discussions, satisfied that the new arrivals were merely servants, and shabby ones at that. Some continued to rake their eyes over Leiara's highly inappropriate appearance.

Gaius had seen them enter and had moved to Merlin's side resting a hand on the boy's shoulder looking between Leiara and him curiously. Merlin gave him a look that said '_later_'. He was suddenly preoccupied with mentally kicking himself for not giving Leiara his brown jacket to help cover up her under-dress.

With a last long glance at Leiara frowning, Merlin slid out from under Gaius' hand and started moving around the perimeter of the room. He was looking for imposter Leiara's face in the crowd while real Leiara stayed near the entrance seemingly doing the same.

* * *

The first thing Leiara registered was the sheer _size_ of the room. Her senses were easily caught and distracted by the fantastic tapestries in the most luscious colors. The room itself was bathed in candlelight adding to the red and gold motif that was hung about the walls and pillars. The Pendragon colors and insignia seemed to be embroidered into everything. It was absolutely beautiful.

Leiara allowed herself this first few seconds to drink it all in. The next few seconds, which later she would be annoyed about, was taken to noticing just how many people were here. The place was crowded. Filled with highborn lords and courtiers and their lavishly dressed counterparts. Even the servants looked amazing. _Wait. The servants. Get a grip and start looking._

She tore herself from her silent amazement and took to scanning the crowd looking for... Herself. _What an odd notion that was_. She looked first to the head of the high table, desperate to catch a glimpse of an upright and unharmed Prince. She found him easily to Uther's right hand side and despite herself, she smiled.

In that moment, it registered that everyone was here. They _all_ were here. Her eyes automatically looked for Morgana and Gwen to Uther's left and found them as well as Lady Helen, who also held a seat of honor at the high table. She could not help but feel pleased.

_Enough_. She barked at herself mentally shaking her head a little bit to refocus herself. Letting her eyes linger on Arthur who was leaning to his left speaking to his father about something, she exhaled a sigh of relief, and released him from her gaze to comb the room again, getting more and more anxious at the lack of her imposter face in the crowd. Where was she?

Her eyes met Merlin's at a diagonal point across the room, and he shrugged at her shaking his head. Her eyes began to dart around more frantically, and she actually moved further into the room, dodging around standing lords and ladies to look into corners of the room she had not yet explored. Every so often her gaze flitted back to Arthur to make sure he was still there.

The next time her eyes had come back around to the Prince, her blood ran cold. Leaning over his goblet was the imposter, filling it with a deep red wine, a small smile on her lips like she knew a secret no one else knew.

Arthur paid her no mind at all, though he claimed the newly filled goblet and was bringing to his lips when a loud cry echoed through the hall. "ARTHUR, NO!"

Several things happened then in startling succession, though, from Leiara's point of view, time had slowed to a crawl.

Arthur's eyes snapped up looking for the voice that shouted, the imposter found Leiara instantly and her lip curled back over her teeth in a shocked sneer. The king stood, and the room collectively made a heavy shift, the sound of cloth swishing as one as all eyes fell on the half-naked girl in the center of the room, whose hand was stretched out towards Arthur as the yell fell from her lips.

Then time caught up and it was deafening. "GUARDS" Uther screamed.

"ARTHUR DON'T DRINK THAT!" Leiara yelled just as she felt the impact of two large bodies crashing into her. "IT'S POISONED! SHE'S A WITCH!" Leiara was ignoring the guards who were now forcing her down to her knees sharply.

Arthur stood stunned, the goblet in his hand as he looked down at it. Imposter Leiara had backed away into the darkness behind the high table.

"How dare you!?" Uther said striding out from behind the table and moving to where the guards had now forced Leiara into a kneeling and bowing position, holding her arms taught behind her back. "How dare you address the Prince so informally and disturb my celebrations with talk of sorcery!?"

He was leering over her, but she was not paying any attention. "Arthur... Sire... She wants to kill you! Behind you! Don't drink that, please!" Leiara was struggling and begging and Merlin was now shoving his way through the guests to get back to her, but Gaius waylaid him shaking his head quickly urging him not to get involved. Merlin looked conflicted, but was stunned into stillness when the king finally screamed at Leiara for silence.

Arthur had finally set the goblet down and was now looking around over his shoulder where Leiara had indicated. His alert blue eyes had fallen on a meek serving girl with her hands folded reverently in front of her hips. Arthur stepped out from his high-backed chair and moved towards the girl, grabbing her arm and bringing her forward into the light.

Leiara squirmed in the grasp of the guards, her neck aching. She only had eyes for the Prince and the imposter. "She is impersonating me! She plans to kill you! Please. You have to believe me!" She was gasping with the effort of keeping her eyes on Arthur in this awkward and painful position.

"Enough of this, sorcerer! Guards, keep her from performing magic!" Uther had again yelled, trying desperately to gain control over Leiara's wild mouth, now convinced that she was the sorcerer. Leiara allowed herself a frustrated eye-roll at the King's words. Uther saw it and with one furious look from the King, the guards forced her further onto the ground on her stomach.

"You don't understand!" she cried. "I am not the witch! She's the witch! She locked me up and stole my... She's impersonating me! That goblet is poisoned!" Leiara was writhing painfully. Merlin tried to step out, but Gaius grabbed him and whispered. "It's too dangerous."

Arthur had been holding on to the imposters left arm watching the flailing form of Leiara. Leiara was still straining to look at Arthur when she saw it... The imposter's free hand was ducking into the pocket of her serving dress and she drew out a sharp dagger, and she did so with a smile on her lips - all the room was focused on Leiara's prone form, leaving the perfect opening for the old woman to plunge it into Arthur's kidney.

And she would have done... But right as Leiara screamed "NO! LOOKOUT!" and the guard shoved her face hard into the ground, the witch dropped the dagger, her hand splayed in pain as if the thing had burned her without warning.

Arthur rounded on the serving girl clasped in his hand at the sound of the dagger clattering to the floor. With one fluid motion and the distinctive sound of steel peeling through leather, Arthur's sword was drawn and held at the throat of the witch. He advanced on her and backed her into a wall.

"Father, the girl speaks the truth," he spat not letting his eyes leave the witches face.

Another servant ran forward and picked up the dagger, rushing it over to Uther's now out-stretched hands. He rounded in the direction of Arthur and the imposter and yelled for the guards to accost her.

The witch cackled, her form immediately reverting to its natural, old and wretched state. There was no point keeping up the pretense now. She turned her hateful eyes to Arthur, a spell on her lips... But the spell died there lingering on her shocked mouth as her lips parted staring widely at the Prince's face. He had run her through.

With one swift move, he yanked his sword out and the woman fell to the floor in a heap.

Leiara fell limp in the guards arms, relaxing into the cold stone floor, her adrenaline beginning to leave her, and the sharp pains that had earlier plagued her body were back and now exacerbated by the manhandling of the guards.

She dimly registered two shuffling feet coming towards her, and she heard the voice of Gaius, "she needs treatment, she is of no harm, let her be."

Uther turned and nodded his order for them to step back and they did. Merlin rushed forward and helped Gaius get Leiara to her feet.

The room at large was just now recovering from the event, and voices broke out, low voices discussing what had just happened.

"Who was she?"

"Who would want to harm the Prince?"

"How did she know?"

Leiara's head was swimming now, and she flinched as the King approached her, Gaius, and Merlin. She was not in the mood for whatever Uther was going to dish out next.

"You saved my son's life." He stated.

Leiara fought the urge to say 'you're welcome' even though it was not strictly a 'thank you.'

"You shall be rewarded."

Leiara's head snapped up. "What? No... No, that is okay... Really. Glad to help."

"Nonsense." The king waved her off. "You shall be the Prince's maid." He said with an air of finality.

Arthur's face flickered into that of a petulant teenager before he smoothed his features back into a Prince-of-Camelot configuration. "Father... This is... Highly irregular" he said just as Leiara protested with a sharp. "No."

Arthur raised an eyebrow at her quick refusal, but turned his attention back to Uther. "What am I to do with a woman servant?"

Uther fixed him with an unreadable gaze. "I am sure you can think of something."

_That filthy old_... Leiara's jaw was dangling off its hinges and Arthur's was clenched in a tight line. Leiara's eyes flickered to Morgana who had narrowed her eyes ever-so-slightly.

_This is not what is supposed to happen. How did this happen? What do I do?_ Leiara's thoughts raced and her eyes landed on Merlin, holding her up under her left arm. "But, Your Highness," she said addressing the King. "If Merlin had not been so clever and found me, I would still be under the floor of the witches house. He saved me a brought me here. If not for him, I wouldn't have been here to warn Arth... The Prince."

She kept her eyes pointedly on the King, but the looks she was getting from both Merlin and Arthur could have melted her flesh off.

Uther looked at Merlin, who reluctantly tore his death gaze off of Leiara and tried to look humble and mumble denials.

"No, it wasn't like that. I mean... I found her, yes... But it was nothing. There is no need. I do not want a reward.." Merlin stammered out his plea to avoid having the Prince hoisted upon him.

Arthur was nodding in agreement, he seemed to have decided having a woman was better than Merlin, though he did not like either choice.

The King pondered the group for a long moment, the room at large had long ago fallen silent to witness this little exchange.

Uther nodded once. "No, I insist. It is an honor to serve royalty, and I am sure you will do so with pleasure. The boy will serve as the Prince's manservant, and the girl will remain on hand to serve as needed. In the meantime, she will be responsible for guests and courtiers."

The King turned on his heel and addressed the room, while striding to lady Helen and taking her hand in is. "Now then! Back to the celebrations! Lady Helen, perhaps you would grace us with another song to rid us of all this nasty business?"

She smiled and inclined her head before taking to the stage.

Gaius and Merlin took this moment to turn Leiara and escape from the hall holding her up. The Prince watching after them looking scandalized... Though managing to do so in a Princely fashion.


	8. Pilot, Final

**AN: I do not own, nor am I affiliated with Merlin in any way.**

Every step they took back to Gaius's chambers weighed on Leiara. Everything was beginning to catch up to her. Her limbs felt thin and shaky, and all her cuts, splinters, and bruises were nudging her with every motion. She felt her eyes drooping a bit as they walked and she decided to focus on Merlin to keep from passing out.

Merlin held her steadily and gently, but one look at his face told her he was upset with her. Her foggy brain had already forgotten that she had essentially thrown him into the Prince's service, and she frowned at him confused at his expression - he was looking pointedly forward and not meeting her gaze.

"Merlin?" she said sleepily and his eyes darted down to her face, taking in the drowsy and confused grimace.

"Shh." he said. "You need rest." He was not unkind in his words, but his tone left little open for negotiation, and she nodded once and trudged on wishing that they would get where they were going.

Once in the physician's chambers, Gaius handed Leiara off to Merlin, who was basically holding her up entirely, while he opened a cupboard and fetched two white garments. He came back and placed a hand on her shoulder with a sympathetic expression and low tone to his voice. "I know you are tired, child, but I need to tend to you before you sleep. Step behind the partition and put these on." Merlin helped him guide her behind the partition and they both backed away to give her some privacy.

"Merlin," Gaius was now pacing to the other side of the room and pulling a large bowl down. "Please go fill this with water. She will want a wash when she is done."

Merlin nodded and jogged out of the room.

"Leiara, are you alright?" Gaius called to her and she responded with a low 'mmm' to signify that she was still upright and alive.

She gingerly peeled her under-dress off with many a grimace and groan and threw it over the edge of the partition. She took a moment to inventory herself and suddenly felt ill. She had never seen so many injuries in one place and certainly not on her own body. She seemed to be speckled with bruises, deep gashes, scrapes, puffy splinters, swelling, and leather rash. _Ouch_. She suddenly felt very naked - because she was - and she went to grab one of the garments that Gaius had handed her. It appeared to be a simple skirt and she slid her feet inside and shimmied it up gingerly. It hung about to her knees and loosely on her hips. The second garment was actually identical and she called out to Gaius, "I think you gave me two of the same thing to wear."

He chuckled lightly. "Yes, m'dear. They are indeed the same, but one is meant to be worn over your torso so I can have access to your arms and shoulders."

"Oh." she said and it made sense, she guessed. She pull the garment down over her head with a groan and pulled her arms out of the top letting fabric hang off her chest. She then stepped out from behind the screen and Gaius pointed to a small bed in the far corner of the room and she went and sat down as he dragged a low stool over. "You can stay here tonight," he said gesturing to the bed she was sitting on.

At that moment, Merlin re-entered the room, sloshing water in the bowl looking a bit winded.

"Ah good, you are back. Bring it here, boy."

Merlin walked over with the bowl held out and Gaius took it from him, but Merlin's hands still lingered in the air once the bowl had been extricated from his grip. He was staring at Leiara, color rising in his cheeks at alarming speed before he turned resolutely the other direction. Clearly this amount of skin was a bit too much for him.

"Come now, Merlin." Gaius said in a business-like tone. "There is not point getting all flustered. If you are to learn medicine you must be prepared to treat the human body. Whether it is young and beautiful or old and feeble. Now, hand me a fresh cloth and then fetch me the clear vial on the upper left and the purple vial on the bottom shelf." He waggled a finger at his crude medicine cabinet as he took a cloth from Merlin's fingers.

Gaius dipped the cloth into the fresh water and made quick work of cleaning her up. He started with her face and neck, not only looking for damage, but cleaning up dirt and dried blood. He tilted her this way and that, lifted limbs, worked around the loose garments and lifted hems to get at hips and knees and he finished with her back. She groaned and grimaced at the movements and he gently questioned her about what hurt and in what way without prying into her ordeal to deeply. It was incredibly odd going through such a process. She can't say anyone had ever given her a bath before, but she was far too tired and grateful to have the layer of grime removed from her to think too hard on it.

Merlin stood in the background watching Gaius work, his right arm crossed over his center, his left elbow resting on his right hand as he chewed on his left thumbnail, still nervous and uncomfortable. Gaius snapped him out of his silent staring-but-not-really-looking contest when he asked Merlin to produce the purple vial.

Gaius waved him in closer and Merlin stepped forward into the candlelight near the small bed as Gaius turned her left side to him gently. He pointed at several places where there were angry breaks in the skin - her chin, her shoulder, her elbow, and hip. "This," he held up the vial Merlin had just given him, "will cleanse the wounds and help them to heal faster. There is unfortunately little we can do about the bruising and the muscle stiffness, but I can give you something for general pain and to help you sleep," he directed his words to Leiara.

Gaius rose stiffly from the low stool and ambled over to get two new cloths and a pair of crude looking tweezers - at least that's what Leiara thought they were. She was right.

Gaius pushed the fresh cloth into Merlin's hands and told him to get started on the scrapes while he worked on the splinters in her hip and leg.

Both men were trying to be gentle, but this part of the process was highly uncomfortable and she tried hard to bite back the whimpers and hisses that were living just behind her lips.

Gaius worked coolly and efficiently while Merlin grimaced every time Leiara did, and muttered low apologies every time he touched the liquid to her skin and felt her twitch.

She did her best to reassure him, but it probably came off half-hearted in her weariness and current sensory overload.

Finally both of them were finished, and she felt herself relax into the relief.

Gaius held up a large strip of bandage; "Just one more thing. There is nothing I can do to repair that rib. I am afraid you will just have to wait that one out. But I will bind it so it is easier to manage."

Leiara lifted her arms and let Gaius wrap her torso tightly. He pulled it taught with one last tug, and held his hand out to Merlin. "The clear one now, if you please."

Merlin handed this last one over and Gaius simply gave it to Leiara with a smile. "Drink this down, and you will sleep better. It will dull the pain. I can give you more in the morning."

Leiara took it and downed it, without hesitation, in one go. She swung her legs up onto the bed and curled up instantly, tugging the blanket over her.

Both Gaius and Merlin got up as Gaius blew out the candle. Merlin gathered all of the bottles and cloths and water bowl, and they walked quietly away to let her sleep.

"Thank you." she said drifting off and they smiled at each other.

* * *

Leiara could not open her eyes, try as she might. She was fighting with them, but all she could see was a small sliver of light coming from beneath her lids that had barely lifted despite numerous efforts. She was frustrated at the discomfort of not having command of her eyes and she squirmed. Only, she didn't squirm. She couldn't move either, really. She suddenly felt like something was sitting on her chest, the air was tight around her. Now her eyes were open, and she found her vision was just as stunted as before, though this time the sliver of light was coming from a thick board of wood that was hovering inches above her nose. She was buried under the floor again.

Leiara shot up in bed, and flung the blanket to the floor ridding herself of its confinement. She was coated in a sheen of sweat and she was breathing as if she had been running, her eyes not yet focused on her surroundings.

As her breath gradually slowed, she looked around and took in the moonlit physician's chambers, the slow snores of Gaius finally reaching her ears and she laid back down with a flop and an exhale. _Just a dream. It was just a dream_. She pressed her hands to her eyes and rubbed them, blinking and widening them experimentally, just to be sure control was hers again. She was starting to feel a bit cold, her sweaty skin and clothes getting caught in the drafty room, but she had no desire to be covered with that blanket right now.

She stared up at the ceiling trying to relax back into her cot. Her muscles had nudged her, now that she was fully awake and a aware, reminding her that she was sore and stiff and she just wanted to go back to sleep.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath when she heard a low creak across the diagonal of the room - from Merlin's room. She tried very hard to focus her hearing on the sound, blocking out Gaius' snores and she heard a soft click as Merlin closed his bedroom door behind him. Her ears followed his light footsteps across the room, and the sounds of Merlin shrugging himself into a jacket. There were a few more quiet steps that were then interrupted by a ridiculous clatter and a sharp intake of breath - Merlin had tripped. Leiara was startled and almost laughed, but she managed to keep her eyes closed and keep still. Her ears focused now on Gaius to see if he had woken at the noise, but he just snorted and turned over. She thought she knew where he was going, and she did not want anything to stop him.

Merlin's footsteps had fallen silent now, and she was waiting for him to leave, when she almost blew her cover by snapping her eyes open. Her blanket was being slowly lowered over her form, though no one was standing nearby to cover her. She peaked under one eye lid to see it come to a rest fully over her and she smiled inwardly at the gesture. Merlin's footsteps finally started again, and she opened her eyes when she heard the door close behind him.

She leaned up on her elbows and saw that Gaius' blanket was now snuggly over the old man's shoulder as he slept soundly on.

Leiara laid back down and folded her hands over her stomach looking again at the ceiling. She wanted to talk to Merlin, and if he was going to see The Great Dragon, now would be the perfect time to tell him she knew about him. She was not sure _how_ she was going to tell him that, but she wanted to get it over with. Both of them dancing around secrets was going to make life hard, and if the events of the last two days were any indication, the two of them were going to be seeing a lot of each other.

* * *

She had decided. She would wait for him to come back and then she would confront him. She slid herself slowly out from under the blanket and rose to her feet, exhaling slowing through the stiffness. Tomorrow was going to be a nightmare, she thought to herself with a sudden rush of nervousness. She was a servant in the castle now, partially to Arthur and to other guests and courtiers. She had no idea what she was doing, what would be expected of her, nor how she would manage it in her current state. She almost sat back down as these thoughts drifted through her mind. She was suddenly quite fretful at the thought and it brought her up short for a minute. She brushed it aside and tiptoed past Gaius, her bare feet making little noise on the wooden floor until she reached Merlin's room.

She unlatched his door and slid into the small dark room closing the door behind her leaning on it. She looked around the small familiar space and wondered idly _now what_? She pushed off the door and walked further into the room and turned about looking around slowly. There was a shirt laying on the floor near his dresser, his sheets were rumpled and slept in and his brown bag was slumped on the floor next to the door - though there was a hook on the wall that it should have been hanging on. Leiara smiled at the messiness. She noticed a candle on the small night table next to his bed and wondered if she should light it, but eventually decided against it. For one, she could not find anything to light it with, and for another, she did not want Merlin to panic when he saw light coming from his room - though now she wondered how she would not scare him when he came back in, as she was kind of lurking in the dark.

She wrapped her arms around herself and ran her hands up and down her arms to warm up a bit while she decided where she should wait. She saw a small stool near the window, and she went and grabbed it, setting it in the moonlight coming in through the window so he would have a better chance of seeing her before he set her on fire in fear.

Leiara's feet were rubbing against each other to keep warm, and she was slumped over on the stool, her arms folded around her stomach curling her into a small ball over her knees to keep any warmth she had trapped. She was thankful her hair was long, because it was covering her back in a makeshift blanket.

Her head snapped up at the unmistakable sound of the door latch being rattled, he had been too quiet coming through Gaius' room and she had no time to prepare herself for Merlin entering. She sat up straight as he stepped in. It only took about 3 seconds for Merlin to catch sight of her and his hand raised instinctively before she blurted out in a hurried whisper. "Merlin, it's me, it me." She hoped to God he knew her well enough for 'it's me' to be a sufficient announcement. She was unsure so she added "Leiara" as an afterthought and ducked her head down and covered it with her hands, bracing for some magical impact.

"What are you..." He started in too loud of a voice before he quickly adjusted the volume looking out the door to make sure Gaius had not heard; "doing here" he now whispered as he closed the door and lowered his hand. "You should be resting" he stepped in as she lifted her head out from under her arms.

"And why do you look like someone is about to hit you?" He said looking a bit worried.

"Couldn't sleep." she said finally uncurling and sitting up properly. Choosing to ignore his last question.

Merlin approached her scanning her body with his eyes in the moonlight. "What is it? Pain? Do you need more medicine?" When he didn't find anything physically out of sorts, he looked at her face and she shook her head; "No, I am alright."

Merlin nodded and slipped out of his jacket, letting it fall to the floor at his feet. "Then..." he let the unfinished question hang awkwardly in the air, not wanting to sound rude by saying 'why are you here?'

Leiara inhaled and ran her hand over her face. She held the breath and looked up at him. _Quick like a Band-Aid. Just say it_. "I know you have magic."

Merlin took and actual step backwards and gaped at her for too long before sputtering. "What? What are you talking about? I do not." He sounded like a kid caught stealing sweets before supper. Defensive and affronted.

"Merlin..."

"Why would you say that? That's crazy. Pfft. Magic. It is forbidden, you know." He was trying to amend is initial tone which he suspected was far too guilty, and make himself sound more confident in his answer.

"Merlin..." Leiara tried again. "I am not going to tell anyone. Not ever."

"Well, that's fantastic because it would be really silly for you to tell someone something that's completely false." He smiled at her in what he hoped was a joking fashion and less a terrified grimace.

"'It didn't _seem_ like you...'" Leiara parroted back something he said to her about noticing the imposter Leiara in the square earlier the previous day. "Merlin... You saw her face. You knew she wasn't me. That is how you even knew to look for me, isn't it."

Merlin stared at her hard, a very serious set to his features.

"I promise, Merlin. On my life. I won't tell."

Merlin shoulders finally released, and even though he hadn't noticed how tightly his body had wound itself, her words seemed to unwind him considerably as relief spilled over him. He trusted her words, and he felt like at least one corner of the secret knot he hid in his chest had freed itself, and it felt wonderful. He never verbalized his answer, but his body language was enough.

His face broke into a smile, and he was pleased to see her return it. "Is that why you were ducking and cowering when I came in? You thought I was going magic you into a toad or something?" He jested at her.

She laughed lightly and nodded,. "Something like that, yeah."

He noticed she was slowly getting more huddled around herself, and he swooped down to pick his jacket up off the floor. He offered it to her. "You look cold."

She took the jacket gratefully and quickly slid her arms in, wrapping it about her and closing the front tightly. "Very. This castle is really drafty."

He went and sat down on his bed facing her. He was watching her face which seemed to be focused on mostly her temperature, but her eyes kept darting to him like she had more to discuss. She was obviously not going to start.

"Is that really how you knew I have magic? Because I said it didn't seem like you?" He made his voice sound a bit skeptical, hoping this would extract whatever was eating at her.

"No." she said quietly.

He folded his hands over his knees and leaned forward, his body language beckoning her to continue.

"It's your turn to promise not to tell anyone." she said seriously looking into his eyes.

He did not hesitate and nodded his head with a reassuring smile. "Promise." He could not help but allow that little spark of hope to flare up. Maybe she was going to confess her magic to him.

She took a steadying breath and said; "I don't remember anything before the day I met you. In fact I don't remember anything that came just before the execution in the square that day."

"Wait. Gaius said that you had already been to him a week ago. You don't remember that?" He was leaning a bit further forward - this was not what he was expecting or hoping for, but his curiosity and interest was sufficiently piqued.

She shook her head. "Nope. Nothing. I mean nothing. Not where I come from, how long I have been here, not family, friends. I only know my name is Leiara because that is what Marckus keeps calling me." The lie was easy. It was -mostly- true. It was true for this world, to be sure. She was not about to tell him the actual truth. If it was the actual truth. She was not so sure anymore. That life seemed so far removed. She felt firmly entrenched here which left her feeling a bit alone. She really didn't have much of anyone. Marckus seemed fond of her and of course Merlin, but she was so new to this whole world that she had not yet had time to develop any real bonds of her own with either of them.

Apparently, a shadow of her desolation had passed over her face because Merlin reached his hand out to Leiara from his seat on the bed and she took it. He held her fingers comfortingly and tugged on her hand in a silent request for her to stand and come to where he sat.

She rose and followed his pull to sit down next to him. He turned to face her slightly, still keeping her hand in his. "Have you not asked Marckus? Maybe he can fill in some gaps."

She looked down at their hands clasped together and drew comfort from it. "No. I've been busy." she attempted a smile and he grinned back with a small chuckle.

The smile left her just as quickly as it had come. "Besides, it is not so much gaps as it is... Like... Someone completely wiped my memory of all things. Except the things that come naturally to being alive like blinking and breathing. I can function but I have no past beyond the last two days."

His thumb was drawing circles on her hand and she continued. "There's more." She had decided to tell him that she 'knew things'. This would make life easier in the time to come when she seemed to have the inside track on something. Over the course of her time in his room, she had decided that if it was Merlin's destiny to protect Arthur, then the only job she could carve out for herself in this universe was to help him do so. And if any of her knowledge of how events -might- play out would help him, then she would use them. But carefully.

Merlin lifted his eyebrows inviting her to go on.

"I seem to just know some things. Not a lot of things. Just some things. It's usually when I see a person or a thing. I just seem to know things about them... Like you for example." She turned her head to look at him now. "The first time I met you. I just knew you had magic. It was like someone had just given me knowledge right there on the spot. Like truth."

Merlin's mouth slackened at this proclamation and he felt the familiar flutter of hope in his stomach. "Do you have magic too, then?" he breathed in an urgent whisper. The hand that was wrapped around hers had tightened its grip.

Leiara shook her head slowly, reading the hope on his face and watching it slip away with each movement. It hurt her to witness. She did not like it when he made that face. So she amended, probably foolishly. "Well, I don't think so. I have never _done_ anything... But then again I have only been alive for two days... So I guess I am not sure."

His features rose again and she felt warmth spread through her at the sight. _That's better_.

Merlin put his other hand over hers and his eyes crinkled in a very bright and familiar 'Merlin' smile. "Well, we'll just have to figure it out together."

He felt light-hearted. He had a confident for his magic outside of Gaius, and he had found someone who also had a secret to bear. One, that if discovered, would be considered as good as sorcery. This was their bond, and he suddenly felt like the dragons words were not so heavy. He had been distracted listening to Leiara but now his mind wandered to what the Dragon had told him about his destiny with the Prince.

His face had gone pensive and Leiara picked up on it. "Where did you go tonight?" she asked quietly.

Merlin considered his lap for a moment. She already knew about his magic. Surely he could tell her about the Dragon. "I went to find the Dragon under the castle. He has been calling out to me these past nights." He put it out there and watched for her reaction.

She felt the uncomfortable twitch in his fingers at the confession, though he did not pull away from her. She raised her eyebrows at him. "Wow." she said breathlessly at the plain honesty of the response. Something about it was very comforting and it eased the worry that seemed to live in her chest, like she was slowly finding a home here, and definitely a friend.

His scrutiny was intense. "You already knew that, didn't you?"

She was brought up short and quickly plastered an innocent look of surprise on her face and told a half-truth. "Nono, I didn't know that. I was just surprised that you told me so easily. That is a quite a thing to tell."

She was not always going to tell Merlin what she knew. Particularly when events seemed to have already changed since she had come here. Toeing the fine line between what to keep to herself and what to divulge seemed daunting, and she pushed the thought away to deal with later.

Merlin took her at her word and she felt guilty lying to him when he was being so trusting and open with her. She tried to sooth her conscience by telling herself that he would understand if he was in her shoes. Though this brought little relief. Lying to Merlin was just not pleasant.

"What did the dragon want to see you for?"

At this, Merlin took his hand from hers and ran both hands down his face with a tired sigh. "He basically told me that I am supposed to help that prat of a Prince."

Leiara tried on a bright smile. "Does that mean you are not angry at me for getting you put into his service?"

Merlin groaned and looked sideways at her. "Nope. Not forgiven." he said so playfully that she almost hugged him at the sound but kept herself in her spot next to him.

She laughed and he bumped his shoulder into her gently. "I'm really sorry about that." she said even though he had clearly forgiven her.

"I know. Besides, according to the great dirty dragon downstairs, it is where I am meant to be. Not to mention, that you have to be there too according to the King." He said this with such a cheeky grin that she suddenly felt nervous about her new job. _Meeting Arthur for real was going to be something else_.

She yawned hugely at this though, and Merlin mirrored the action. "We should sleep," he said.

Leiara nodded and rose from the bed and he followed suit. They looked at each other a long time, both letting the weight of their confessions and the waves of their relief speak for themselves. "Night Merlin." she said.

"Night Leia." he had shortened her name as she turned to leave, and she smiled to herself. This was starting to feel real, and she wasn't sure she wanted to wake up at all.


	9. Knights, Princes, and Servitude, Oh My

**AN: I do not own, nor am I affiliated with Merlin in any way.**

**AN: This chapter, for some reason, was highly stubborn. Hence the long update period. I apologize if it is a little "blah".**

**Warning: Slight language**

* * *

_To Shelly007: I was unable to respond to your review directly, so I am doing so here. Thank you very much for taking the time to read and review. I am pleased that you like the direction of the story, and the relationship development. If you are continuing to read, I hope I continue to please. :)_

_To everyone who has read, followed, favorited, or reviewed any part of this, thank you very much. I really do appreciate it! It means the world to me that there are people that may be enjoying this! - Vaughn_

* * *

Leiara opened her eyes slowly, sounds that were way off in the distance of her subconscious were now creeping closer as her brain caught up with being awake. She heard a low boiling sound and the shuffle of feet moving about the room somewhere behind her.

She lifted her hands to her face to rub her eyes and blink the sleep out of them, then she sat up. "Oh." she said in a breath. Her limbs felt like wooden planks and her muscles felt like they had shriveled and were clinging to her bones and joints like a frightened child to its mother's hand.

Gaius heard her utterance and stepped nearer to her handing over the same clear potion she had taken last night. "I am afraid you are going to be sore and stiff. Particularly in the next few days. This should help you get through today. First day! Are you excited?"

Leiara thought about that. "Well, yes... I am, I guess." _Arthur_... But her face betrayed a bit of fear and nervousness. This was an entirely unknown world and definitely not like any job she had ever held. Just getting her head around 'servant' was difficult for her 21st century brain.

Gaius seemed to read her face and patted her shoulder gently. "You'll be fine. You'll see. Shelley dropped by and left you some clothes to wear today. You can hardly go like that." he gestured to her two 'skirts'. "Come. Have a bite to eat and stretch your muscles. They will loosen up if you move them."

She did as he asked and got up to sit at the table in the center of the room. He placed a bowl of something that looked like oatmeal in front of her, and she schooled her nose not to wrinkle. Just another adjustment she was going to have to make. At least this time it would be easy because she suddenly realized she was ravenous. And with zero shame she made short work of it.

"Good grief!" exclaimed Gaius as he watched the food disappear. "When was the last time you ate?"

Leiara shrugged, feeling a bit embarrassed now. "I don't remember."

Gaius unleashed a small eyebrow and scooped some more into her bowl. She again devoured it, and it was completely gone in the time it took him to pour her some water. He blinked and shook his head once in astonishment. "Be sure to eat lunch today, then. Nourishment will help your recovery."

Leiara nodded around the cup of water she was now downing. She already felt better, and silly for not thinking about basic things like eating and drinking. It really had been a weird _and hard_ couple of days.

She got up from the table, feeling like a creaky old gate. She rolled her shoulders and stretched her arms over her head with a groan and half expected them to actually make a grinding metallic sound as she did so. It felt good to stretch her good muscles and downright awful to stretch the bad, but she knew Gaius had a point and continued with various rotations and flexes until she felt more like herself.

She sat back down and twisted around using the table as leverage to pop her back when she caught sight of a fully-dressed Merlin stepping over the bench next to her to tuck in to his breakfast.

"Morning" he said with a grin when her eyes landed on him.

She returned it. "Morning."

Merlin scooped the oatmeal-like substance into his mouth and looked at Gaius speaking through a mouthful. "So, what are we supposed to do? Where do we go?"

Leiara had gone back to her bed to get the folded new clothes Gaius had laid there, and disappeared behind the changing screen, wondering the same thing.

Gaius opened his mouth to respond when a sharp knock was heard at the door. He pursed his lips at the interruption and turned to open it. A tall and armored guard inclined his head once in respect to Gaius and said; "The Prince requests the presence of those two." He jerked his head in the direction of Merlin and Leiara - who had stuck her head around the screen quickly to see who was there.

Gaius nodded. "Very well. I will send them out in a moment."

The guard gave a quick nod in return as Gaius closed the door. "Best hurry. The Prince is not overly patient."

Merlin rolled his eyes and slowed his eating pace defiantly. Gaius cuffed him on the back of the head. "Don't start."

Leiara, with some difficulty, managed to get herself into the clean under-dress, frock, and plain red tunic that signified her place as a castle servant and came back around the screen with her fingers nimbly braiding her long hair over her shoulder.

Gaius smiled at her. "All ready, then?"

She nodded and looked at Merlin who sighed and shoveled his food into his mouth and downed his water in two large gulps; "Fine." he said thickly. "I'm ready."

* * *

_Oh god, oh god, oh god..._ The pathetic panic repeated in her head as she followed behind the guard who had come to fetch them. She was not ready for this. She had an absurd fear of meeting Arthur, and more than that, a complete lack of certainty that she would be able to step up to this new life. _If it was a new life_. She looked at Merlin several times, but he just seemed stoically annoyed. Like, every step he took closer to being the Prince's servant was more irritating than the last. She felt an uncomfortable guilty feeling, but it was squashed by her next thought. _This is how it is supposed to be. This is where it starts. _

He finally spotted her trying to catch his glance and he looked down as the storm cloud cleared from his features to offer her a small reassuring smile. She exhaled and he chuckled a bit. "Don't worry. He's a prat, but I can absolutely take him." He winked at her and she couldn't help but laugh.

She saw the guard turn his head slightly over his shoulder with a raised eyebrow. _Whoops. Probably should not be calling the Prince names on the first day_.

Merlin seemed unperturbed. She was kind of jealous of his calm, because her stomach was threatening to abandon ship, and breakfast was not behaving right now.

It felt like time had cruelly picked up the pace and now here they were standing in front of the doors to, presumably, the Prince's chambers. And, crap, the guard was knocking. _Wait. Not ready. Not ready_. As her brain is wont to do in times of sheer panic, a benign thought occurred to her, and it's Presence was enough to baffle her. _I probably should have paid attention to the route we took through the castle. This place is huge and confusing_. Just as she was starting to think about the size of the castle, a sharply spoken "enter" literally crashed into her ears and they rang like the inside of a struck bell. _I can't do this. This is just not real. Nope. Wake up. Wake UP. Please. Wake. Up._

The guard pushed open the door and stepped back. She looked up at Merlin and willed her feet to stay put and not take off with her in the opposite direction. _Why am I so bloody scared? It's not like he eats human flesh for breakfast_. Merlin crossed the threshold as cool as he might, and on auto-pilot she followed suit, though she stepped behind him slightly, in the completely stupid hope that if part of her remained hidden, whatever was going to happen would not be so terrifying.

Her muddled brain that was racing with thoughts she was never going to catch was brought up short and suddenly flat-lined on her. All her thoughts scattered for hidden corners of her mind and fell silent leaving white noise. Her eyes, looking straight ahead were filled with so much familiarity at the shape and contents of this room. She felt like she had _been_ here before, and the spark of pleasant butterflies in her stomach afforded her a small measure of distraction from her blind panic at being in Arthur's chambers.

That is until movement demanded her attention, and both she and Merlin shifted their gaze to see a very blonde, very blue-eyed Prince focusing on the food in front of him. There was a thin boy with mousy brown hair hovering subserviently just behind him holding a pitcher. The boy looked like a statue, though his eyes flicked to them when they came in.

The Prince waved a dismissive hand at the pitcher-holding servant. "That'll do, George."

Leiara's lip twitched. She should have recognized him, she thought, as he bowed his head, closing his eyes reverently and keeping his back unnaturally straight. "Yes, My Lord." He moved around the table and as he approached the two newcomers, he gave Merlin and Leiara an almost irritated look, obviously displaced by their new placement in the Prince's service. Though, as quickly as the look appeared it was gone again, and George went back to looking haughtily obedient. He pushed the pitcher into the stomach of Merlin as he passed, and Merlin grabbed it automatically frowning down at it. He stepped forward and set it on the prince's table in a 'I-don't-think-so' fashion.

The blonde's eyes lifted slightly from his plate and landed on the pitcher that was newly placed. At this he looked up, directly at Merlin, who looked directly back, almost challenging the royal to comment on the action.

Arthur's stony features stared unswervingly at Merlin for another beat before he rose, wiping his mouth briefly on a napkin and tossing it down onto the table.

When he stood up, Leiara surreptitiously stepped further behind Merlin. _Good God, but he is tall_. This was her first coherent thought in several moments. She looked up at Merlin too, and noted that he was the same height. Both of them, here in this same room, seemed so much bigger than she had ever imagined them to be. While her thoughts lingered on these two larger-than-life, mythological creatures, Arthur had changed from his large white sleep-shirt into a very familiar red one and he was now holding up an equally familiar brown jacket in the air, as if silently commanding someone to come claim it from him, and put him into it.

"I need you to polish my armor, sword, boots, and chainmail. When you are done with that, you will suit yourself and me up and follow me to the grounds after lunch." He looked over his shoulder, one crystal blue eye demanding that someone step up to take the jacket. It was not a request.

Merlin and Leiara looked confusedly at each other. Who was he addressing? Leiara was certain it was not her and she shook her head frantically at Merlin while they had a silent argument between their eyes, soundless mouthings and pointed head-jerks, each indicating that the other needed to step up. Finally, she nudged him sharply with the shoulder that was hiding behind him and he tripped forward glaring at her.

He almost snatched the jacket from the Prince's fingers, and Arthur's head whipped around to glare, but before he could complain Merlin piped up. "Isn't that what squires are for? To do all that armor stuff?" He held the jacket up and Arthur slid one arm in after the other. Merlin adjusted it on his shoulders, as if he knew exactly what to do. The prince turned.

"No, that's what you are for." Arthur picked a bit of lint from his sleeve and crossed into the secondary chamber where his bed was and claimed two bracelets from the ornate nightstand. He slid them over his right hand before placing a silver ring onto his left forefinger, and then a necklace with a small crystal over his head.

"What kind of Prince does not have a squire?" Merlin challenged with a smirk that almost made Leiara snort out of pure giddiness at this little event unfolding before her. _This right here was the foundation, and they were wasting no time laying it._

"The kind that decides he wants his manservant to do it instead." Arthur countered, not breaking stride or a smile. _Okay, so it was not perfect yet... But it was a start... _Thought Leiara.

Merlin rolled his eyes. "Sounds like something a prat would do." Merlin kept a small smile on his lips, but he was not successfully masking his displeasure, and the air in the room shifted when Arthur had moved back across the room towards Merlin to get in his space.

"Watch your tongue." He reached past Merlin to claim his rolled up belts that held his sword and hip dagger. Leiara had to hand it to Merlin for not backing away or flinching at the clear intimidation that the Prince was now exuding. Leiara certainly backed up a step, but up until now, the Prince had literally not even acknowledged her with so much as a glance

Arthur thrust the belts into Merlin's hands, and again, he instinctively caught them as he had the pitcher.

The Prince turned around and lifted his arms expectantly while Merlin fumbled slightly with slender fingers trying to unravel the belts. When he took too long for the Prince's liking, Arthur sighed and barked; "Hurry up, _Mer_lin. Surely a belt is not too difficult for you to figure out."

Merlin glared daggers into the Prince's back when the belts finally fell loose and he wrapped them around Arthur's waist, buckling them none-too-gently. "Yes, _Sire_"

Arthur dropped his arms ignoring the obvious sarcasm that was now dripping from his thin new servant and moved to sit on the edge of his bed bending over to slide into his boots.

"I hope you are better at cleaning armor than you are dressing." Arthur's eyes met Merlin's and he had a raised eyebrow that was both condescending and actually curious - like he was really unsure of Merlin's capabilities.

"I'm not an idiot." Merlin folded his arms and shifted his weight onto a hip, the look on the royal's face had forced a bit of color into Merlin's cheeks - which annoyed him.

"Well that remains to be seen." Arthur rose from his seat on the bed, and the moment Leiara had been dreading occurred.

Before she had any time to gather her mental fortitude, Arthur was in front of her. She looked at his shoulder rather than his face, thinking to herself that she probably looked very submissive by doing so. The look on Merlin's face, when her eyes darted to him, stated his silent agreement with this assessment, and he looked disappointed. _Well, I can't help it! You have no idea what this is like_! She argued with Merlin in her head, and the humor of this whole silent process was not lost on her, but her throat was too dry to laugh about it.

"What's your name?" Arthur asked promptly.

The question made her heart stop for a couple of beats, her silent war with Merlin had distracted her from the possibility that she was about to be addressed directly. She cleared her throat to test that it would work. "Leiara" she said, and surprisingly, it did not sound pathetic.

Arthur's eyes wandered to her left jaw that was home to a large scrape and bruise, then it drifted down to her shoulder, and her elbow, taking in the charming physical gifts she had been given by the witch. He skipped past any acknowledgement of her name and said; "Can you work?"

This was such a typical 'boss' thing to ask, she thought... Like going to work with a headache and a sore throat, but when you bring it to the attention of your manager, they ask; 'Do you need to go home, or are you okay to finish out your shift?' This is such a crap question, because what can you say to that other than; 'yeah, I can stay.' She was kind of annoyed, but realized she had wandered off into her thoughts for a bit too long because Arthur's eyebrows had disappeared into his hair line and he had folded his arms across his chest. His ringed forefinger tapping impatiently against his bicep.

She looked up at him, officially, _holy hell_, and nodded. "Yeah."

Again, he made no acknowledgment of her answer and turned away from her, heading back to his breakfast plate where he snatched up a couple of grapes and popped them into his mouth.

"There is a delegation of Knights coming in to Camelot over the next days for a tournament. You will be seeing to that. The head housemaid will direct you in your duties to the visitors. If you find you do not have enough work, you will help attend me." He said all of this without fully addressing her, choosing to give his royal attention to his breakfast. This just added to her nerves.

Leiara nodded once, but the Prince was still not looking at her, and when he got no response he looked up from the piece of cheese he was now breaking apart again with an eyebrow raised.

"Yes Sir. Sire." she said quickly. Merlin was shaking his head at her for not, at least, attempting to sass him. She threw him a _'What? We can't all be as calm as you_.' look.

Leiara suddenly got nervous again. _Who was the head housemaid? Where could she find her?_ She looked like she would rather lick splinters than ask the Prince, but as if her questions had been recognized by the universe a quiet knock was heard on the door.

"Come" said the Prince.

The door opened and in stepped Guinevere, dark curls and modest yellow dress in tow. Arthur waved her forward with two fingers. "Guinevere will show you both where you should be." He looked up at Gwen as he spoke. "Merlin is to go to the armory, and, Leiara to the west wing to see the head housemaid."

"Maddie," Guinevere supplied helpfully.

"If you say so." Said Arthur looking at little put off. "You may go."

* * *

At their dismissal, all three servants left the room together. Merlin looked peeved, Leiara looked relieved, and Gwen merely looked between them curiously.

"You're welcome for saving your life!" Merlin said back to the now closed door, loud enough, likely, for the Prince to hear.

"Hello Merlin" she said sweetly with a bit of a grin at his outburst. "How did it go?"

"He's still an ass." Merlin retorted , emphasizing 'ass', again turning his face to the door, but he smiled at her greeting anyhow. "How did you get saddled with showing us around? What about Lady Morgana?"

"She is the one who suggested it, actually." Gwen smiled and looked at Leiara. "I'm Guinevere, but you can call me Gwen. If you like, that is." She offered Leiara her hand in greeting.

Leiara beamed at her, a wave of happiness washing over her at the sight of yet another familiar _and kind_ face. "Leiara." she said and took Gwen's hand in hers.

"It was pretty amazing, last night, wasn't it?" Gwen put to them. "What happened? How did you both know what was happening?" She was looking expectantly between them, waiting to hear the story as she started walking. Leiara and Merlin followed and both told her of the long events of the last day, discovering that it was quite easy to open up to Gwen. Leiara let Merlin do most of the talking. She was not too fond of the idea of relieving her time with the witch, and she was more interested in looking around at her surroundings. This time, Leiara tried to watch where they were going, but still managed to get a bit lost in her head.

Gwen pulled her out of her thoughts. "That must have been terrifying!" Gwen was looking at her with worried eyes and Leiara shrugged awkwardly and nodded.

"It wasn't the most fun I could have." She tried on a smile to lighten the mood and Gwen dropped the subject, rightfully suspecting Leiara's discomfort at the memory.

"This is the armory," she said, coming to a stop looking at Merlin and then she pushed open the old wooden door and stepped inside.

When they stepped in, they found themselves in a small and tight room with several weapon and armor racks lining the walls, though they were not completely filled at the moment. There were shields and swords and sets of chainmail hanging from hooks and propped up against empty walls. Navigating the room was not easy and within moments, Merlin had already knocked a sword over with a loud clatter. He bent down to pick it up with a grimace as the noise continued echoing around him. Both Leiara and Gwen laughed.

"Shut up." he said with his own small laugh.

"Over there." Gwen pointed at a large table in the corner of the room that was covered in a bright red cloth with a small golden dragon on the corner that was visible hanging over the edge. "That's where the Prince's armor is."

Both Leiara and Merlin, dodging items on the ground and against the walls, stepped up to the table to have a look. Merlin scowled - it looked filthy and battered. Leiara could almost hear the tirade that was going on in the slender man's mind. But she was just fascinated. She reached out and touched the edge of the hauberk (and if she was completely honest, she expected it to feel... Well... Like a costume). It didn't. The metal was cold and hard and her eyebrows raised unbeknownst to her.

"What wrong?" Gwen asked, prompted by the odd look on Leiara's face.

"Leiara snatched her hand away and looked at Gwen. "What? Oh, nothing." She smiled quickly. "I love this stuff," she said gesturing at the room at large.

Gwen brightened. "Really? Me too! Well, sort of... My father is the blacksmith, so I grew up with this stuff."

At this Merlin interjected. "You know about this stuff?" He looked hopefully at Gwen.

She nodded. "Yes, why do you ask?"

"I am sure His Pratness is going to make me learn it, and..." Merlin looked around the room now. "He told me to suit up... Suit up into... What?"

Gwen paused at the little nickname for the Prince that sprung from Merlin's lips, but did not say anything, possibly no longer shocked at his daring. "Over here," and she sidled around a large rack to a big and battered armoire. She pulled it open to reveal a couple of old suits of chainmail, and a couple of helmets. "You can use these." She then pointed to a dusty weapon rack in the corner nearest the armoire. "You can use those swords and shields."

Merlin inspected everything she pointed out, with a small frown pulling down on his lips. "Why does he want me to wear armor," he asked incredulously.

"So he can practice," Gwen answered, her head cocked to the side a bit as if this was quite obvious.

"Isn't that what Knights are for?" Why the hell does he need to practice with me?" Though he had his suspicions that it was just so he could beat on him under the guise of training. _Just...Great_.

Gwen snickered at him and put a hand on his shoulder. "Best get started on the armor. It takes a lot longer than it looks."

Merlin scowled at her. "Wonderful." _This day is just getting better and better._

"I can come back later to show you to the kitchens so you can bring the Prince his lunch, if you want." Gwen offered.

Merlin nodded, now distracted by the old and shabby chainmail he had claimed from the armoire.

Leiara had noticed another door hidden indented in a corner. "What's that to?" she asked Gwen.

"Oh, that is another chamber where Knights and Guards don armor. It is extra space in times of tournaments of battles. They keep their gear in here and have the squires suit them up in the next room. The Knight's Wing is also off of that room." She opened the door and let Leiara poke her head in. "See that door on the opposite wall? That is where the royal Knights live."

"That is just so brilliant." Leiara spoke without thinking, sounding awed and a bit excited.

Gwen gave her a quizzical look. "You really do like all this Knights, and weapons, and armor stuff, don't you?"

Merlin had been looking over the heads of the two girls, and spoke up. "Wanna polish the armor instead? I can go change a bed or two in your place. Better than staying here and polishing the sword of an ass."

Gwen put a hand on her hip. "We do not just change bed sheets, you know. I mean, we do change bed sheets, but there is more to it." Her argument had lost a bit of steam and Merlin laughed at her.

"I was only joking" he said, raising his hands in supplication.

Gwen scowled at him and batted at his arm before pushing past him. "Speaking of, we really should get to Maddie. She is fair, but she does not tolerate lateness, and there are already Knights who have arrived."

Leiara glanced at Merlin, nerves getting the better of her. She was not ready to be parted from one of the only people she was getting comfortable with.

He nudged her gently with his shoulder. "Go on then," he grinned "I'll see you at lunch."

She smiled at him as she was jostled. "Right. Have fun with..." she gestured about the room with a bit of a smirk "this..."

He rolled his eyes and turned his back to the women.

Gwen, who had watched the small exchange now motioned Leiara to follow her towards the west wing of the castle.

* * *

The girls were quiet for the length of one magnificent hallway, though Leirara could see Gwen glancing at her from time to time as if she was itching to ask her something. She decided to offer her a grin - a silent invitation to speak her mind and Gwen did not waste it.

"So, how do you and Merlin know each other?" Gwen's face was politely curious, but underneath there was an obvious answer she was hoping for.

"Two days or so." Leiara said, instantly suspecting what Gwen was getting at. She remembered that Gwen seemed to have a bit of a crush on Merlin at the beginning. At least, Leiara thought so. Nothing really came of it, though. At least not before.

Gwen's features rose almost imperceptibly at the news. _Obviously, there's not something established going on between the two of them... Then again, they seemed awfully close for only having known each other for such a short time._ She voiced this last sentiment aloud to Leiara, and framed it as a question. "You two seem so... close?"

"Well, I suppose so, yeah," said Leiara thinking about it. "The whole thing with the witch and the Prince and all that."

Gwen nodded and fell silent into her own thoughts.

Leiara debated putting the girl's mind at ease and telling her that there was nothing more between herself and Merlin. It's not like these thoughts had not crossed her mind. How could they not cross her mind? She had fallen in love with Merlin so many times back... home... that of course being around him brought all kinds of ideas into her head. Thankfully, or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, her life had taken a sharp turn into the dramatic, and she did not truly have time to dwell on it. So, she did not have an answer, even for herself, at this moment in time. And truthfully, it made her stomach turn to think about it too hard. She filed that subject away for another time.

Leiara knowing... _Well, I don't really know anymore_... Leiara suspecting that Gwen's feelings would eventually shift into deep friendship with their skinny companion, and her affections would be directed more towards a certain Knight and/or Prince decided to not say anything at all to Gwen who was still walking quietly beside her. She also didn't want to give away that she knew of Gwen's emotions. She didn't want to put her on the spot.

The silence between them started to feel tight and uncomfortable to Leiara, and when Gwen pointed the way around another corner into a long corridor, Leiara asked; "How long have you been with Lady Morgana?"

Gwen looked up and smiled fondly; "Just this side of forever, it seems. As soon as I was old enough to have the responsibility."

"You said it was her idea... That you show us around?" Leiara prompted curiously.

"Yes... That's just Lady Morgana, you know. Always thinking of others. I could not ask for a better mistress." Gwen glowed when she spoke about her and Leiara smiled at the kindness on her pretty face.

"You're very lucky. I would love to meet her sometime." Leiara couldn't help herself. Her mind was filing through everything she remembered about Morgana, and she just wanted to see her before... Well, before she was (possibly) not the same anymore.

"Certainly!" said Gwen, putting a hand on Leiara's arm gently. "She's very nice... And I know that Prince Arthur will be a good master too." It seemed that Gwen mistook the pensive look on Leiara's face as worry that she would not be so lucky in her servitude as Gwen. Leiara also noted that Gwen was not nearly as certain in her praise of the Prince's disposition as she was Morgana's, but she appreciated the attempt at comfort and patted Gwen's hand with a smile.

The heavy mood lifted at the gesture between the two girls, and it was just in time for Gwen to point her through a doorway.

* * *

Leiara stepped through into what appeared to be a small and shabby office. It had no windows, and only one door with one old desk at the back of the room facing the door. In the chair behind the desk sat and severe looking woman with graying hair tied back in a very neat bun. She was slightly plump, and wore garments that showed her higher station. The red tunic that she wore over her dress was not simply red, but red with the gold trim, and the Pendragon Coat-of-Arms was embroidered on the bottom left corner. It was well-cared for, as if the woman took pride in it.

"Maddie," Gwen said and the severe woman looked up from whatever she had been focused on. From here it appeared to be some form of schedule. Now that Leiara looked around, there were several cuts of parchment hanging crudely from the walls behind the desk. It appeared to be how Maddie kept track of guests and their assigned rooms and servants.

"This is Leiara." Gwen gestured to the newcomer with a smile.

Maddie rose and leaned on her desk to get a look at her, her eyes, just like Arthur's lingered on the damage to her skin and she felt the question coming again...

As suspected, Maddie pointed at her and gestured up and down her left side. "This..."

"Will not be a problem," Leiara cut her off. Perhaps a little too quickly and slightly annoyed, because Maddie looked like she was going to scold her. "Ma'am" Leiara amended and Maddie instead pursed her lips tightly.

"You may go." Maddie turned her attention to Gwen, who did not curtsey like Leiara expected her to. What was the protocol here? Perhaps Gwen's place as Morgana's handmaiden put her on equal status with Maddie? Leiara was obviously not, though. What about when she was serving the Prince? Her head started to hurt thinking about it, and she resolved to just take the safe route and show deference to all.

Gwen put a hand on Leiara's shoulder and said; "I will come back at lunch. We can go get Merlin and go to the kitchens."

"Right" said Leiara. "Thanks Gwen." she smiled at her and bowed her head to Gwen, trying on this new deference decision.

Gwen laughed kindly at the gesture. "We will work on that later." Gwen departed with a wave.

* * *

Maddie had taken to reading over a schedule while Leiara and Gwen had said their goodbyes. She seemed to take a very deep breath before...

"Right. You will be assigned to Knight Alwin, Knight Croix, Knight Valiant, and Knight Robert. Robert and Valiant are already here in the castle. Alwin and Croix are scheduled to arrive this evening before the opening feasts. See to Robert and Valiant right away. The supply closet is two doors down from this office. You will find sheets and cleaning supplies. Anything the Knights request, is your duty to fulfill. Failure is not an option. Your shift ends when those in your care retire for the night, and not a moment before. I understand that you answer to our Prince, and should he need you, then you must find a way to manage all duties to him and the visiting Knights. Am I understood?"

The woman had barely stopped to breathe and Leiara, who really did try to pay attention to everything the she had said, was still stuck on Knight Valiant, and her mind had wandered off into the recesses of her memory. _Right. Knight Valiant. Shield with magic snakes. Wait. I am serving him? Lovely. Just lovely. Oh well, I can keep an eye on him and alert Merlin about the shield early enough to maybe save Ewan._

Maddie had snapped her fingers in mid air towards Leiara's face. "Oi, did you hear me girl? Get to it!"

Leiara's eyes snapped to Maddie and she gave a brief curtsey. "Yes, ma'am. Sorry." _This is just... Weird..._

Maddie shook her head looking warily at Leiara, likely wondering how badly this new girl was going to botch this whole thing up for everyone.

* * *

Leiara was now faced with the supply closet. There were stacks upon stacks of sheets and pillow cases, buckets, mops, brooms, endless rags, water basins, water pitchers and a couple of step-stools to assist in reaching the top shelves. She was unsure whether there were different sizes to the sheets. so she grabbed two sets of what was in reach, piling two water basins and two pitchers precariously on top of the cloth. She had no idea what she was doing, but better to try something rather than show up with nothing.

She backed her way out of the closet, her sore muscles protesting at bit, when she realized she did not know which rooms belonged to which knights, and this corridor was not small by any measure. She tentatively went back two doors down and stuck her head through the door to Maddie's small office.

"Err, ma'am? Which rooms are my charges in?" Leiara looked a bit sheepish.

"Maddie sighed exasperatedly and came from around her desk, shooing Leiara backwards into the hallway where she stepped out and hastily and counted out the doors Leiara was to attend.

Thankfully, they were not terribly split apart from each other and Leiara offered another small, but awkward bow in thanks. Maddie just rolled her eyes and went back inside. "Get on with it then," she barked.

* * *

Leiara decided to brave Knight Robert's room first. She was not sure she was ready for Valiant. Hell, she was not sure she would ever be ready for Valiant.

She reached Robert's door and awkwardly adjusted the items in her arms, to place a quiet knock on the old wood. She waited, but no answer came from the other side, so she tentatively pushed it open, peaking her head around first. "Hello? Knight Robert?"

There was no answer, and she exhaled and stepped inside.

Clearly this room had already been mostly prepared. The bed was made neatly and there was already a basin and pitcher next to it. _I guess someone had to handle it before they got here._

She set what she was carrying down onto the large wooden chest at the foot of the elaborate bed, and looked about the room for anything that she could do. There was wood for the fire, a made bed, and a basin... Her eyes then landed on the used breakfast plates and half-eaten breads, fruits and cheeses that were left behind.

_Okay. There's something... Clear breakfast away..._ But bugger all, she didn't know where the kitchen was, and asking Maddie just seemed... No, she was not going to ask Maddie. _I'll just... Put it in one of the other Knights' rooms. They are not supposed to get here until tonight._ _That'll do._ Proud of her ingenuity, she collected the plate, goblet and trays and left the room, pulling the door almost closed behind her with her foot.

She quickly deposited the used trays on the table in what she knew to be Knight Croix's room and went back to pick up the items she had left behind in Robert's room. She supposed that she would not need them for Valiant either, since someone would have already tended to his room, so she took them to Croix's room to wait for her return.

She stood outside Knight Valiant's door, readying herself to meet him face-to-face. She was scared. _And who wouldn't be when they know what I know!_ She could here Valiant's irritated and heavily accented voice carrying through the thick door, and she really did not fancy interrupting whatever was occurring. However, she also did not want to bring the wrath of Maddie down upon herself so early on her first day. So, she wait. Waited for a lull in the conversation to happen. Other servants and staff passed her all going about their own tasks, and some looking at her with a frown on their face and a shake of their heads, likely believing her to be eavesdropping.

The moment she waited for came, and she drew up her courage and knocked twice on the door.

"Come," came the Knights gruff voice.

Leiara took air in through her nose and held her breath, pushing open the door. She kept her eyes towards the floor as she entered and closed the door behind her. "Sorry to bother you, Sir. I came to see if there is anything you need. I am to look after you during your stay." She shuddered inwardly at how panic-stricken she sounded in her own head. She did not want to gravel, but she also did not want his focused anger.

"Ow, you dolt," barked Valiant, and Leiara could not help but look up and see a very young, scrawny boy with curly blonde hair and brown eyes darting around Valiant's form, clearly trying to get him fitted into his training armor, and struggling. He was constantly moving a step-stool around his master's feet, trying frantically to complete the task in a timely fashion. Leiara supposed the raised voice of Valiant she heard from outside the door had been directed at the small boy. He looked so very young, and Leiara felt badly for him. What a terrible job - to work for such a dishonorable monster of a man. _Knight indeed_.

Valiant eyed Leiara coolly, and he cast his gaze over her slowly, almost appreciatively. _Okay... Gross. Not good. _To distract herself from his creepy attentions she moved towards his table where the remnants of his breakfast lay.

"Shall I clear this away, Sir?" She did not look at him, she instead stared back down at the floor avoiding his piercing eyes.

"Aye." he said. She could feel him looking at her, and she quickly curtseyed and started scooping up the dishes, wanting to escape as quickly as possible.

"I will take lunch in here." he drawled. "And when you are done clearing away my breakfast, you will come back here and show us out to the arena.

Leiara in a flash of panic snapped her head up and looked directly at him. The smile that was curled on upon his lip made her stomach lurch. _I have no idea how to get to the arena_. His face said that he knew she was uncomfortable and he was determined to keep her around to heighten that discomfort. _Fantastic. My lack of knowledge of this castle has so far been my biggest barrier. Go figure._

The tiny young blonde who had been bobbing around Valiant while they shared this little exchange was now standing expectantly in front of him holding up a large sword with both hands, offering it to his master. The Knight snatched it away from him forcefully, and the boy relinquished it quickly with a squeak before the sharp blade could cut him. He then scrambled to the wall behind him and hoisted a large shield, carrying it with difficulty to the Knights left side where he held his arm extended. The boy slid the shield onto the Knights arm and Leiara's jaw dropped stupidly.

Her eyes were fixed on the large wooden shield. It was yellow with a green... coat-of-arms? _What?_ There was nothing there but a white and green, basic, non-memorable coat-of arms. _Where are the snakes? Shit... Seriously? Was nothing going to be easy. _Leiara couldn't help herself and she sighed through her gaping mouth before she noticed Valiant smiling widely at her. That appreciative glint was back in his eyes, and she felt sure he had mistaken her reaction for one of awe or attraction. She suppressed a shudder and went back to gathering the dishes. "I'll just... Get these taken care of, Sir. Then I will take you to the arena." _I hope.._


End file.
